The final countdown ... Day 37!

I guess there is nobody to blame (but me for entering!), Will things ever be the same again? (meaning my legs and my weight!) It's the final countdown! The final countdown to my First Marathon. 

With only 37 days : 22 hours : 36 minutes and 30  .... 29 ....28 ....27....26....25 seconds to go until The Chester Marathon! I'm beginning to feel ever so slightly scared!  It will happen however I feel, no getting off this rollercoaster now!

I have been plowing through my training plan with consistency and strength, and have amazingly remained injury free! But, I’m totally shocked. I’ve gained like 5 pounds since starting my marathon training: WTF?!  I thought for sure I’d lose weight while training, and this sucks. I'm hoping this is all muscle (in my dreams) and once I decrease my training my weight will decrease too!

BUT first there's other business to sort -  I have a PB Half Marathon or 2 to run!

My first opportunity to blast this is on Sunday at The Great Scottish Run (GSR) which incidently I booked as part of my marathon training plan (and had planned just to run it at a steady pace!) but now it's come to it it would be rude not to go for a PB!  

I have also just discovered that there will be pacers - no, NOT the chewy mint flavoured sweets - but men (or women I suppose!) who will be running the route at a given pace giving me the perfect opportunity to smash my PB - if I keep up with them!  BUT what pace will they be running?  I asked my old friend Google but since this is the first year GSR have had pacers I couldn't find my answer  but at other half marathons for around about my target time there seems to be pacers for finish times of 1:45 or 1:58! For a 1:58 finish I don't need a pace setter -  in actual fact I could be the pace setter! I  ran  my last 2 half marathons at near this pace with just 2 seconds difference - how's that for consistency!  BUT a 1:45 finish might just be asking for a heart attack!  I'm hoping that there will be a little man running for a 1:55 finish THEN I might live to tell the tale!  

How will I know a pace setter from the common variety of runner?!  Will they carry a Board? ...A Flag? ...  a Balloon? - THAT is the Question!  Feeling quite excited about the prospect of chasing a man for 13.1 miles - I hope he's worth chasing! One day I WILL get my PB!

Last night as part of my marathon training I did some Hill Reps - where I run up and down the same hill like an escaped lunatic until I can barely breath!  Yesterday I did things slightly differently.  I had read an article that said you should run with your heart not your legs - meaning take notice of your heart rate not whether or not your legs are grumbling!  So I thought I would give it a go!  Usually I would sprint up the hill, then rest for 45 seconds to a minute before sprinting down again and repeat.  However this time I sprinted up the hill, ensuring to get my heart rate to over 165 BMP (about 90% of my maximum, not that I know what this means except I'm working hard!) and resting until it was down to under 40 BPM.  I felt like I worked harder doing this and it gave me something to focus on but when I compare it to my previous Hill Rep training I don't think there's much difference! You can view this here!

This morning I got up to do my final short run before GSR on Sunday!  Because I am incorporating these  half marathon races into my marathon training plan I don't get to enjoy the benefits of tapering for these events in quite the same way as I would if I was just concentrating on Half Marathons!  Perhaps that's why the PB is being so elusive!  Anyhow, on this run after last night's efforts my legs felt heavy and uncooperative, so I decided when I got home to experiment with an ice bath!  Well, that's not strictly true!  I'm too wimpy for a full on ice bath so I braved a cold water bath instead!  I have heard from many sources the benefits of suffering this strange ritual so decided the time had come in my running career to give it a blast!  


After my long runs I have often braved a cold shower aimed primarily at my legs and thighs, so felt this was the next step!  I filled the bath with trepidation (oh and cold water!) and slowly lowered my trembling body in!  I had kept my socks and running gear on in the hope it might keep me warmer! As the cold water penetrated my body I gasped and thought to myself "Remind me why I am doing this?!". I sat statue still whilst my body became accustomed - I didn't want to cause a ripple effect and risk it feeling any colder!  I had a 10 minute target in mind - brrrrrrrrrrrrr - armed with my "runner's world" magazine to take my mind off this crazy stunt I tried to relax. Not moving from the waist down I sat ..... and waited!  Whilst reading and glancing obsessively at my watch to see when this ordeal would be over I seemed to become immune to the cold - or had my body warmed the water?  Fearing this was the case I topped up with some more cold to ensure the best results and waited for my watch alarm to sound! The alarm sounded and I was set free!  I pulled the plug and then removed my freezing cold wet clothes before diving under a nice warm shower!  Apparently a classic school boy girl error where ice baths are concerned! I was supposed to warm up naturally by wrapping myself in blankets for about half an hour before jumping in a warm shower!  hey ho I live and learn!  Perhaps next time I will do it right both with using ice and having a delayed shower!  In a sadistic sort of way I quite enjoyed the pain (pain and pleasure being the opposite sides of the same coin...?) and will definitely give it another go ... as to whether it works and does any good - well the jury is still out on that one!  I will have to get it right before I comment further! With more long runs scheduled I will have plenty opportunities to try!

You can view the short run that prompted this fleeting case of insanity here!


I have also put photographs from my "bling" scrapbook on.  Click here to take a look!