"Running like a Jedi"

Another brilliant quote and lesson learnt from today's Run Bristol event. It refers to the 'triangle' of factors to key into training to aid each other - training, recovery and nutrition. It's compared to as a triangle because if one faulters others are effected.

I've learnt that the amount of rest and recovery training I can give myself allows my body to 'recharge' and recovery to continue to physically train, as well as decrease the risk of injury.

The other lesson I learnt is eating more and more often is better than either calorie counting or storing carbs'. The idea is that you fuel yourself to be able to train for longer and harder in order to achieve goals. Having said this the 'fuel' I'm putting into myself has to be healthy and also provide enough protein and carbohydrates. This should be constant as well, including days of physical recovery to be able to aid the body to recover. This has really helped me understand what I should be eating and stop being paranoid of eating too much, but actually make sure I'm eating correctly and the right amount to help my training. My new eating schedule is - A large breakfast of either eggs, bagels or cereal and fruit, followed by a mid morning snack of fruit and oak cakes (what I used to eat for a full lunch!), followed by lunch of salad, pasta or jacket potatoes, then an afternoon snack of rice cakes and yoghurt and finally a normal sized healthy dinner. Other good advice I got was to eat within a hour of exercising - eating within the first 5 minutes will help reciver quicker - to stop sugar crashing. The only thing I then need to change is the day before the race is cut out prootein and eat only carbs'. The target is to eat often and well, not to feel hungry and to fuel my body to achieve better, so therefore fuel it well.

All of this should aid the phsyical training and I've learnt to see them all together and not separate matters that could help - they are one and if you get that right you become a running jedi!

"Don't be a slave to the distance"

I've been putting a huge amount of pressure on myself and causing anxiety for myself thinking about the distance of the runs I'm doing at the moment in order to get ready to run a half marathon. Yes a half marathon is essentially about a certain distance, but my training has now got a new rhythm thanks to the 'Run with us' coaches at the Run Bristol event today - increase your amuont of time running rather than distance and you will progress, rather than set and distance and then push yourself to run it and feel bad if a) you don't or b) you don't do it in the time you want. This way I can get my body used to running for longer over time and with that will come running faster and covering more ground.

Run Bristol's training session

Today was my first training session with run Bristol. It included a 5k run around ashton court and then a few hours of advice by runners, trainers, physio's and nutritionists. It went really well. It was lovely to be running with a group and the advice was fantastic. Recently I've been feeling unmotivated and uninspired by running. This event has given me the kick up the bum I needed. I now know what training reschedules I should be doing, what and when I should be eating and how often to sleep. I'm also going to learn how to strap up my ankles with a physio and know the stresses I should be doing, properly and why. I feel like a pro... all I have to do now is increase my running. Sorted its starts now.

This week has been a really good week for getting over the 3 mile hurdle, running with a group and learning about how I should be doing this correctly in the terms of running and for myself. I'd recommend anyone to go to a run bristol event.

I've also found a couple of new groups today. One of them is called Park run and they happen all over the UK. They're brilliant.  As you may know by now, I've always felt a bit anxious about running and my running style. I've always felt pressured in groups and given up and walked to lower my shame in not going fast etc. However, today I found that this is all in my head. Running with a group was motivational and provided me with goals that I was working towards in a group. I feel inspired to run with groups now and not feel pressured to keep up or not be allowed to run at my pace.

First 4 miler

I ran my first 4 miler last night. It was hard braking the 3 mile barrier and I must confess that I did allow myself to walk for 2 minutes (1 minute each twice). Over all though I'm pleased to have done it and I did it in 47 minutes. So, if I keep doing 4 miles in 45 minutes I'm on track for running the half marathon in 2 hours and 30 minutes - hurray!

4 Miles

I'm breaking the 3 mile barrier, which I'm finding really hard to do, not because I find the distance hard, but I'm finding the motivation to run for longer hard. Plus I'm confortable running 3 miles now..... time to step it up. So the grand plan is two four milers and one 3 mile group run this week.

Joining running groups

It's got to the point in my running where I'm not puching myself and getting anxious about it. So, I've decided to start running with groups and group training sessions through Run Bristol to give me something new and exciting to do rather than just running on my own. So my first group run is going to be a 5K this coming Saturday at Ashton Court, followed by a training session with coaches from the Run Bristol team in preparing for the half marathon.

Little Emily's hero - Linford Christie

At the primary school I went to, Pawlett Primary School, we used to do an annual fun run that took you around the country lanes where the school was (including have to sprint past a family where the dog was terrifying and would chase after you down the road, so you had to run faster to get away). The couple of times that I did this I ran with my dad. The first time we did so I was the girls winner in my year (the year only had 3 girls!) and that was it, I wanted to be a runner. My influence, inspiration and idol: Linford Christie!


So you could say that this challenge isn't only to prove something to myself, but it's for the young me and my idol, Linford.

(footnote: At 26, I know longer idolise Linford Christie. Nor do I want to be a runner.)

Creating my routes

So, having had a couple of weeks of gym training and swimming I've planned my routes to take me up to the big day on September 11th 2011. I've got varying routes, terrains and distances ranging from 4 miles to 12.5 miles. The aim is this -
May: 4 & 5 mile routes
June: 5, 6 & 7 mile routes
July: 7, 8 & 9 mile routes
August: 9, 10+ mile routes
Sepetmber: 10+
October: never running again :)

This time last year......

After running the 5k Brent Knoll route over the Easter weekend I shocked myself. Never have I planned, enjoyed and commited to running that length before. Since my teenage years of being made to run cross-country at secondary school I have hated long distance running. My face goes bright red, I can't breath and it hurts. There was nothing enjoyable about that. Even this time last year, the thought of running for 3 miles straight, without stopping or walking seemed like an alien concept. But now I'm taking time out of bank holidays, lazing in the hot tub and drinking bubbles to run, for fun! This is a big turning point and one to be recognised. Even if I don't make it around the 13.1 mile route on September the 11th 2011, I've accomplished something already that I'm really proud of. It's even got to the point that if I don't run for the same length or further in a week I feel anxious, nervous and guilty. These feelings have replace relief, joy and pleasure. Maddness is brilliant.

Back dating

It's been a few weeks now since my last post. It's not as though I haven't been running, but I've just not been writting on here due to the fact that the end of April was truely manic.

Since my longest run outside I've been trying to run outside as much as possible. The following week was Easter weekend and I returned to Somerset to have a family weekend and go to my friend Jennie's wedding. Good Friday came and I did a 3 mile run in Taunton. Easter Saturday I did a 1.5 mile run to the garage and back to the Bull ranch to get the Saturday morning papers (this was before the wedding). Sunday I had the day off and then Easter Monday I ran the Brent Knoll 5k route alongside my brother Matthew, Kiwi Kate and accompanied by my sister Katy on a bike. Matthew put us all to shame by making it look easy, even the hill and Katy zoomed off on the bike, after making it to the top of the hill. Kiwi Kate took it easy as her return to jogging run after being ill the month before and I ran alongside Matthew. We took it slow and got round in 31mins. The hardest part was the heat. We were in the sun for the whole run without water and it was hard!

Since Easter weekend I've mainly been in the gym and to be honest haven't done a longer run since. This is starting to make me anxious and will be hitting the road again this week taking the length up to 4 miles before starting to run 5 by the end of the month. The thought of getting over the 3 mile hurdle is a bit scary, but I'm so looking forward (I know, positive / mental) to getting to the 5 mile milestone.

Sunday 17th April - longest outside run yet

Sunday 17th April, the date of the London Marathon 2011. I started the day by having a relaxing breakfast in the sunshine with my sister, Katy and Molly. We then started to watch the footage of the marathon live on TV and I started to get really nervous about the half marathon - crazy as it's 5 months away!

Sat there with a mixed feeling of nerves, anxiety and guilt I toyed with the idea of going for a run. I felt inspired by those running the marathon and how easy they made it look and I came to realise that as long as I get round, and even if I do it at a snails pace, it'll be fine. I think that by setting that boundary for myself now I can start to menatlly train, relax and focus on it.

After about an hour of contemplating whether or not to go for a run Molly said the wise words of, 'Go and feel good for the rest of the day that you've done it, or decide not to go and settle with that.' I decided to go.

I ran the furthest outside yet (don't know actual distance), including 2 hills, a park, running along part of the river, through Bedminster and then back home. I run constantly and was out for 25 minutes. I made sure that I did a really easy pace so that I could keep going and it worked.

It was a great feeling and gave me real enthusiasm to keep going. It's also getting me used to the heat, as I did the run at midday and it was boiling! Another bonus - my ankles didn't hurt, hurray!! 

Personal training plan

Last Friday (15th April) I saw a personal trainer at the gym. It was great as they were able to take what I'm already doing and give me tips on how I should and could be improving on that. My training plan now looks like -
Day one: half hour on medx weights, followed by an hour of cardio which is to include a 30 minute run.
Day two: Yoga
Day three: Outside run between 30 minutes and an hour
Day four: Break or Swim
Day five: 1 hour of cardio at the gym followed by 3 setd of 12 squats with weights, 3 sets of 12 step ups with weights and 3 sets of 12 lunges (forward and back) with weights
Day six: another outdoor run between 30 minutes and an hour
Day seven: rest

As I'm writing this it's sounding pretty hardcore, but having done an outside run on Sunday, followed by my first day in the gym yesterday and I'm doing yoga today, it's fitting in really well. I'm even planning on going running this weekend - a bank holiday!!

The actual start of training - Week commencing the 11th April

Ok, so 8am in the gym (even though I have a migraine!). On my way out I book myself in with a personal trainer to write me a plan with training for the half marathon in mind. That's booked in for the 15th at 4pm.

Tuesday 12th, I run home from work for the first time and do my first road run since.... I can't remember when. It went well, but I'm disappointed with myself. It was 2 miles, including a hill. I did it in 15 minutes. Why am I disappointed? Because I didn't run the whole way, I walked for a total of 3 minutes.
Don't get me wrong, this time 5 months ago I wouldn't have been able to do this in this time, but I want to run all of it and not have to walk after 4 minutes, which I'm not used to on the running machines. Oh well, first time and I am pleased that I did it. One thing I noticed - it hurts my ankles. No surprise there as I have funny ankles that turn in on themselves. Best get that sorted!

So far this week, so good. There's still 5 days left though and I'm planning a spinning class, yoga and a personal training plan session at the gym.

Week 1 of proper training

I was planning a 5 day week of training. Did that happen - no. eek!

The beginning

Since New Year I've been aiming to increase my fitness and start to get ready for training. This has been all over the place, however I have been going to the gym and even managed to run 5K in 20 minutes - on a running machine, but still a huge improvement!

It's now mother sunday and I'm back in Taunton for the weekend. It's been a few months and by now everyone knows about my aim and I'm starting to think that I need to do this now for my own pride. Whilst back in Taunton I see the Taunton Half and Full Marathon and I think to myself that enough is enough, registration is open, do it.

Sunday April 3rd 2011, I pay £35 to run 13.1 miles on the 11th of September 2011 in Bristol. That's it, I'm doing it.

New Years Eve 2010

For the last month, or so, I've been contemplating the suggestion that I try and run the Bristol Half Marathon. Having lived in Bristol now for a couple of months I'm keen.

New Years Eve comes and I suggest to a friend that we do it together. I may live to regret this.

Two weeks later the Interdisciplinary Physical Theatre company that I work for, Kompany Malakhi have asked whether both myself and my friend (the Office Manager, Joey) will run it in aid of raising money for them, a registered charity based in Bristol. "Yeah sure". Whilst thinking the worst about what might happen if I don't, but quietly hoping that by the time registration comes it will be full.

Why am I writing this?

If you've read the above and my profile then you'll know why I'm doing this, so I won't go over that again. What you don't know is that I've decided to write this blog instead of a diary. I'm planning on doing a personal challenge every year (since the age of 24 and am at present 25, nearly 26) and by keeping blogs whilst doing them I hope that I will have virtal evidence of my challenges.