Half Marathon Training Relaxing Week
My rest week mostly consisted of mainly slept and eating things that I shouldn’t have! At running club I went back down to Amber group. I didn’t go for a run on my own at all that week and I just complete relaxed – which I surprisingly found really hard (the not running bit I never struggle with sleeping!)
I even marshalled at Park run – where we had a bit of snow. I felt so depressed but that may also be a result of my poor diet too. I started getting desperate to go out and had to hold back. It was made worse when I saw that someone doing the same race was running further. Reminding myself that it didn’t matter, that I had plenty of time – not to rush it. And to stay on the plan (an extra mile a week and a rest every four). But then the day before my final rest day I saw that someone had dropped out of a 10k and so there was a space. I thought – why not I can do 10K and it meant the other lady (Sue) wasn’t on her own.
My First 10K Race
It was an early start as I needed to drive over to Sue’s house and she was going to take us to the venue. Turned out it wasn’t as far away as first thought and we were the first ones there. Time soon flew away though as we were chatting. I was even recognised from my local Park Run (unfortunately for having to encourage my stroppy 7 year old around!) It was soon time for the race to start and I completely forgot to write any emergency contact details on the back of my number or to warm up! As soon as the race begun so many people just went flying past me and Sue told me not to not worry about them. I started to lose Sue and went to wait for her (she wasn’t that far behind) but she urged me just to carry on. In fact I did the first 5K faster than any of my recent Park Runs and so was looking at well under an hour for the whole race. But I wasn’t prepared for the hills – mentally or physically. It felt so lonely too as girls in pairs ran up the hill besides me. Trying to tell myself over and over that I could do it – determined to keep running and not walking. I knew I had selected the wrong trainers (I have some for road running and some for on muddy grounds) and I was trying not to focus on this. As Sue came along side me powering up the hill I just couldn’t do it any more. My legs hurt and so did my ankle. I realised I hadn’t brought an inhaler with me and Sue thought I was going to pass out!
Running – Keeping Going with Support
Sue was amazing. She would not leave me behind and she certainly wasn’t going to let me give up! She told me we were going to walk for 20 and then jog for 20. I kept having to stop and walk but Sue still never gave up. Telling me to swing my arms even when walking, encouraging me just to walk a little faster. Getting me to look out for the mile markers. Not once taking me up on my offer to just carry on without me. Telling me to look up (but omg then I could really see the hills ahead). When we came to a flat bit Sue said – it’s flat now and you’re good at that. I felt such a burden, a let-down and a failure. I had no idea why I had signed up for a half marathon when I couldn’t even complete 10K. Thinking maybe I had run before I could walk so to speak – that I would have been better off joining the beginners group at running club. Then assuming we were last as what we assumed were two tail runners came behind us, encouraging us that last mile – made me feel even worse. At the end another 2 other runners appeared and over took us. Turns out that our finishing time was 1 hour 3 minutes and thirty-one seconds – so not really that bad at all (especially if you saw some of the hills!). And not that it matters where we came but we weren’t last at all.
Things to consider for my future Half Marathon Training
After talking to Sue it is clear that I need to go and find out more about the route I am actually running the half-marathon so I can prepare myself mentally and physically (especially now I have been told there’s a hill involved!). I also need to seriously think about my diet – maybe looking into it when I have more time on my next rest phase. I still haven’t incorporated any other strengthening exercises into my routine – but am soon going to be cycling. The wonderful people at The Family Fund have awarded us a grant to buy The Sensory Seeker a bicycle and one for myself so I can keep him safe. This means that once we have taught him to successfully ride we can go out as a family.