Week 4 marathon training...wrong knickers nearly set me off...

Tired after Saturday...I've had to sacrifice my Sunday cycles for the running... I used to go swimming on Monday nights and that's gone out the window also... Run run run...Eat run...pee run...sleep run...think run...shop run...blah blah blah...

3 miles tonight...Marcus makes us do 'the victory lap' around the Aquadome carpark after our run....sometimes I feel like jumping up and down like a nut-head and maybe throw in a few star jumps for variation but I don't think the rest of the group would see the funny side....

I nearly jeopardised my run tonite....freak attack inside at work...I finish at half five normally...routine includes tidy up, empty my bag and lay out my running gear just to settle myself... One by one ...out comes the trainers...my socks(have to have the same pair of socks every-time obviously washed!),fuzzy hair headband...then my running top and pants.....holy shit where are my fecking running knickers!

F$¥k... shite...feck...I'm a creature of habit and routine...i like to everything set out beforehand....oh my god how am I going to run without my ' special knickers'....anything could off set me....that's the problem..

what's so special about them?!well I bought them specifically for running in Nov..I'll probably have holes in my knickers by the time the marathon comes but who cares!......loola I know but everyone has their quirks...probably a bit of OCD I'd say...everything has to be right...I've a mild version of it! I had to settle myself and convince myself the 'knicker' saga won't ruin my run...i had to develop knicker amnesia for the duration of the run so I decided to push my lazy ass tonite and run faster...it distracted me...no ' comfy knicker thoughts or no ' can't run tonight cause I don't have my running knickers....it worked thank god because I have a history of looking for excuses not to exercise...running has deleted those thoughts .....nearly....

5 miles tomorrow night...ask Marcus the route...always like to know where I'm going just to feel secure...he smiles at me and says he'll decide tomorrow nite...the fecker!I think he knows I freak out a bit....coz I'm always asking him the route like a nuthead...still don't know the route....roll on the mystery 5 miles tour....with the comfy knickers ....

7 miles Saturday long run...how the hell am I going to do this?!

7 miles...equals 11.26km to be exact...couldn't leave out the .26 part....cause my legs were falling off and scoliosis was kicking in at that stage....

It was a long ould week this week... work,run ,zzzzz, work,run zzzz, work run zzzz...but I'm committed.To set myself up for the week ahead I always do my shopping on a friday night in Tesco's...If I don't, I'll binge eat over the weekend in protest for no food being in the fridge...so I always head straight from work , starved may I add, and shop...pull out my family trolley ( need a big one for all the bloody veg and water that I buy) and stomp into Manor West like a starved animal...would have loved a dairy milk for the way round but 'no!'...I am a runner...a starved runner...

What do I buy?...well I always make a pre-list of my dinners...the ideal list would be as follows:
1)monday night: abracadabra- chips and burger...
2)tuesday night: Bella Biia -bruschetta and pizza...frothing at the mouth...
3)Wednesday night: might cut back a bit and have a kebab...

Those were the days...not any more.

I load up the trolley with veg(loads of it),Spuds,fruit,benecol,porridge,pasta,chicken,lucozade sport(for my longer runs),water ( 10 by 2lt bottles), miwadi sugar free of course,sesame sticks(my snack), I bypass the Diet Coke section ( I'm sure I heard voices saying 'pick me pick me!' when I passed the diet coke!) yazoo( I'll explain later)....Madeira cake is the only sweet thing that I buy...trying to steer the trolley into the car park with all the water is tough...might bang into the odd car or two but its a workout in itself...

But one thing I have learnt in regards to food is that if I don't do a proper shop for the week I won't eat properly...and I'll pig out...

Before every run I prepare myself the night before...get my clothes ready, fill up my fuel belt ( sounds good doesn't it!),fire in some Barley sweets and that's when the mind starts to go into overdrive...7 feckin miles...oh sweet jesus...I'll be counting sheep again to coo myself to sleep...doesn't work...start muttering ' I'm a lean mean running machine' with a bit of pillow dribble...what a load of crap...I'm definately not lean,I'm not a meanie,I'm barely a runner and I am turning into a machine...Marcus keeps telling us to drill that line into us but the problem is it doesn't feel right...so I've come up with my own version....'left right left right left right c'mon bitch run' ....simple...yep that feels right...

Started out in the Aquadome...standing in the car park frozen...big turnout..off up the beloved hill we go...the worry just lifts when we start running..say my hellos and put the head down...Marcus gathers his slow crew and he paces us...woohoo nice...past the rugby could feel my hair bobble bobbing up and down..feck I can't stop cause I'll be last again... So I decide to redo it at the top of the road before we turn...bob along like a horse with his tail flicking..very annoying! Stop at the top..quickly redo it and Catriona turns round and gives out to me for stopping! Feck u bitch I can stop if I want to... like a bold child!...but she didn't realise I was stopping to put a French plait in....loola

The first 5 miles flew...felt good..farmer joe wasn't out this week...the legs started to drag once we hit Blennerville bridge..Marcus took us down the to the Lough gates for the extra mile..wind was facing us and it was tough...u know when u see people jumping out of a plane and their mouths are flapping with the wind..well I felt like that but I had an added bonus...fuzzy hair and dry lips from the dribble...turned round at the end and retreated back towards the canal...I am now beginning to hate the canal...the longest bloody mile of my life...counted the puddles...counted the amount of dogs...counted anything just to get me home...crossing the road coming into the aquadome I decided to do my geriatric spurt to the finish...I passed two out! Result!

Sat into the car afterwards...brought a yazoo drink to knock back...it is recommended to drink this afterwards by running magazines for muscle repair ...but to be honest I wouldn't recommend it...vom...wretch...

8 miles next week up toonavane...plus the fact that the runs are getting bloody longer during next week...next weeks total will be 21 miles...what's's Marcus trying to do to me...make me a marathon runner! Mad....

Thanks Marcus....

The weight issue.....Episode 1 season 1....

I always say ' I've been on a diet since the day I was born'.....it has always been a pain in the arse and it affects everything.....put on the weight when I was 12/13yrs old and it went up from there....and up and up...

Was never an exercise person...hated it and I mean hated it...my mother used to drag me around Rossbeigh beach like a deadweight...dragging the two legs behind me swealtering and pissed off at the fact that she thought walking the legs off me would slim me down somewhat...I just went slower to piss her off! Great Craic...the walk used to be the 7 mile stretch around past the shipwreck and then onto the back beach...sher I'd go home and scoff niceties in protest for the torture that I'd gone through....nightmare

Ross Castle was another favourite of hers...the minute we pulled into the car park the aches and pains started.... 'oh my leg is sore,my arse is tired....anything that came to mind...I was desperate!! We'd do the Coal Miners ring and then head back towards the car...thank god its over...she keeps walking and walking .... and walking....past the feckin car...and she's heading towards the Demense! The cheek of her....c'mon woman,get your eyesight checked,, did you not see the car back in the bloody car park!!!I was so far behind that a cry for help with my slow legs would have been wasted....

Always always hated clothes shopping....I do remember one particular incident when I was younger....was shopping in Cork. Always loved cords and I still do... went into Diesel in Merchants Quay... Saw the cords...brown Levi ones....fantastic woohoo!....I wanted them.... go up to the lady... She asks my size... Ahhh haven't got a clue...that's your job woman! was probably more conscious of the fact that I didn't want to admit my size to myself....gives me a pair to try on ...I toddle along with a spring in my step... I distinctly remember the changing room doors were like the ones you see in a wild west bar... they flapped back and forward...fecking brilliant cords at last!! Off with the pants.....I was like someone standing on hot coal- all excited.Pull up the cords... Feck... They won't go past my hips...Christ that can't be right...surely not...try some suction techniques...Not a hope in hell did that work... called my mother over...'maw (thats her nickname) need a bigger size..' she says 'are you sure they won't fit,maybe you might grow into them' ..... What!!!!! she was probably planning more blooming torture walks... The lady comes over and starts chatting to Maw.... Afraid they don't come in a bigger size....bang...run me over with a steam roller....and a JCB while your at it.... deflated (pity that didn't apply to my waistline)....

Still haven't got the brown cords but I will....

Poser......as you can see ive had the ears done.....

Current thought: running requires an effort every time.What I enjoy about it is, not the run itself but merely what running has made me change in my everyday life.I've lost count of how many mondays I've spent starving myself...gobble back rice cakes, pissy soup, and vom green tea...haven't had a Monday like that since I've started running...

The pleasure I get from running is from the fact that I've actually gotten up off my chubby ass and ran....tis now I only realise it.

To be continued....

Goodbye to my last 3 miles....mileage going up next week...

It all started in November, nearly quit  back then but am delighted I didn't...

Will have done 17 miles this week inclusive of this coming Saturday...mad! But the real running starts next week...

Wednesday's are my toughest running days...half the group are always missing on a Wednesday and I completely understand why...I'd love a doss day and I do have many the argument with myself as to why I deserve a doss day..'ah sher I'm shagged tired so I won't go: response:I can't afford to miss a day as I'll fall behind even more...and I need to build up the stamina in my legs...but I haven't missed a days training yet which is a good sign...

For the shorter midweek runs I always feel under pressure...I do prefer longer distances which is strange but I feel a lot more confident about the Saturday runs...there is something about them that sets u up for the rest of the week...maybe they are a confidence booster...

Tonight...3 miles...did 4 miles last night...it was bitter cold and I thought my fingers were going to drop off...my calfs wouldn't warm up and I felt like faking an injury just to stop...my legs were frozen...but who was I going to fake my injury to?! the rest of the group were gone ahead! Maybe if I screeched like nutter it might have worked but who's doing the running?me...this was going on in my head all the way round...I have fought the breathing battle: never out of breath now only going up ' the dreaded hill', fitness has shockingly improved...but the mental battle is the toughest..why? Haven't a bloody clue...I've tried counting sheep, counting cars passing,counting anything to be honest...one night I counted potholes...I was desperate! ( lost count on the pothole one, there were too many! Typical...)

Maybe I should just try and enjoy myself...and maybe crack a smile! might try it Saturday rather than being so tense...smiles all round for Saturday it is...  :) ...loola

Thank god thur and frid are rest days...need the break and can't face lumpy porridge in the morning...plain ould toast...just for one morning....

Roll on Saturday...7 miles...woohoo!

How to train for a marathon?