“This week I will mostly be wearing very sweaty running gear.”

I was not going to write about the fact that I had decided to run a marathon. However, so many thoughts and ideas and perceptions were whizzing through my kid addled brain,  I needed to put them down and clear the buzz, to achieve optimal brain functionality. This is my daily purpose, to ensure I do not explode into a puff of whiz popping smoke. BOOM

I started running in October 2017, after not pulling on sneakers for such an enterprise in a good 20 years. Since then I have become stronger plus well and truly addicted to the steady beat of my feet pounding the tarmac, my breath pulling in and pushing out every three steps and the exhilaration / adrenaline coursing through my body at the end, It gives me complete and utter space to be alone like truly alone, just me and my body, drumming to my own beat, at my own pace. Intermingled with the nature around and the thrum of other humans, but never having to interact with them regardless to what is happening. I have listened to many hours of podcasts and learnt so much… “Did you know that in deep water a tsunami is moving at a pace of up to 300 miles per hour, but only has a 3m wave above the water (nuts huh?)”

Since October, I have managed to run two half marathons and a 25K trail run, with times I was pleased with as a newbie. So my love for running has well and truly been baptized and sealed within my heart. Therefore, last month, I decided I wanted to try to run a marathon (26.2 miles) hopefully in around 4 hrs (that’s my mental goal).

The trick is, I need to train, like really train, through a Florida summer and if you live here you know how brutal this will be. So now I have the added consideration of re hydration, nutrition, cross training and then trying to fit this all in with corralling three boys under 10 years of age to camp, school and activities, plus a little adventuring on top. Thank f@ck I am a morning person and by that, I can get up at 5.30 am to run a good 6 miles before the little beasties are up caterwauling for food, the blazing sun reaches its zenith and my husband leaves for work.

First stop – buy a book on marathon training, TICK, next stop  – START RUNNING a lot, but with a clear plan. I have given myself 4 months to train and I have chosen my marathon. I needed a small marathon (no Boston just yet :)) , with less people and not so much hype, minimal travel to get there, so I would not have to leave the kids and I could keep my anxiety levels to the actual event at a minimum.

Running is all very personal to each individual and I will be doing this marathon just for little ol me (how very selfish of you, people may say) I will not have a cause, just a point to prove to myself that I can physically and mentally do it. To seasoned marathon runners, this will be no biggie, but this is pretty big for me as I have never stuck to anything in my life, I usually get bored after about a month and I move on to the next challenge, leaving the last one hopelessly unfulfilled. Another reason to write this down, to make sure I stick with it. Its all about personal achievement and that is it, a very simple goal, achievable, needs minimal equipment and you can run absolutely anywhere.

Each week I have a training plan :-

Week one (this week) WC 18th June 2018

Sunday – Run 4 miles / Monday – rest / Tuesday – intervals = 4.5 miles / Wednesday – Swim (cross train) / Thursday  – 6 miles (2 easy 2 mid 2 easy) / Friday –  Spin (cross train) / Saturday  – long run 8 miles (easy pace)

So far so good – in the words of Nike “Just Do It” – well I will try at least, avoiding injury as best I can.

“This week I will mostly be wearing sweaty running gear” (Fast Show)

TO BE CONTINUED…………………..