One Week

In one week, I will be a marathon runner.

6 months ago, I set a crazy goal, and the big day is just one week away.

Cue major freak out!

Since my injury, my spirits have been pretty high.  I've been really anticipating just getting out there for the run, but now reality is setting in.  42.2km is a loooooong way and I know it's a distance that has to be respected.  I'm feeling like my shins will be fine and pain-free on the day (still just a couple of niggles, but only very minor), but I know I have lost some fitness.

At the peak of my training, I was so in the zone.  I was running about 55km a week, and in a great mindset.  But over the past month, since I've hardly been running, I feel somewhat out of the loop.  And I'm feeling some regret about things I wish I'd done differently.  If I knew I'd do very limited running for the 6 weeks before the race, I would have set a plan to do more strength & core training, really keep on top of my nutrition and lose a couple of kilos.  But because it's all been a bit in limbo, I haven't had a plan to stick to, and I just haven't been as disciplined as I feel I should have been.  I've been doing regular cycling...but it's just not running.

It's really disappointing to be going into this far less prepared than I wanted to be.  Two months ago, I was so confident about my 4-hour goal - but now, I have no time goal.  Two months ago, I had no doubt in my mind I could go the distance - now, I'm just hoping and praying I can stick it out.

When my freak out moments pass, I do feel excited.  I really want to get out there and soak up the atmosphere, and for the first 30km at least, I hope I can just have fun!  I have several friends who'll be there spectating, and I can't wait to see them along the way.  Dean & I are planning his movements, and where he'll be situated to restock my supplies of power bars and jelly beans.  I can't wait to get down the coast and enjoy a couple of nights in a nice apartment (child-free - bonus!), plus we have a big family gathering on Sunday afternoon which I am looking forward to SO much.  And I just want to achieve this for my kids.

This week I'll try and do a lot of visualisation about my goal and the race and focus on the result.  I want to have a mantra to use on myself during the run when times get tough, so I'm formulating a punchy sentence to memorise.  I'll have a good look at the course map, and plan out what fuel I'll be taking at what points.  I also have to plan my carb-loading for the 3 days prior to the race.  Check out this plan for an example of what I'll be eating - it's pretty full on!

I'm really excited to be heading to an intraining seminar too, about race day tips, so I know that'll really help to get in the zone.  I'm also preparing my presentation for the Utopia Women's Wellness expo, which is the weekend after the marathon.  I'm writing my speech now, about having run the marathon and succeeded - and that's really helping to motivate me as well!  It's so exciting to think that will be reality in just one week's time!

So, with mixed emotions, I'm heading into the final week.  Most of all, it's anticipation - I can't wait for the day to arrive!  Stay tuned!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Just as training was getting back on track, things have hit another hurdle.

On the weekend, I wrote about how my shin splints had healed up and I'd managed a 22km run - I was so excited to back in the game...but now the injury has flared up again.  FRUSTRATION!

The pain in my shins isn't as bad as before, but it's there.  This week has been a tough one.  I know I need to rest my legs (again), but I haven't even had a chance to get out for a bike ride, with the husband away and a really busy week at work and home.  I haven't been eating as well as I should, so I'm just ready to get this run over and done with!

At this stage, I feel a bit more rest and the pain will go away again - this might mean hardly doing any running until the day of the marathon.  It's not ideal, but I'm just hopeful that my preparation up until I was injured, is enough to get me through.

Another pretty major blow is that my running buddy, main motivator, inspiration, husband and best friend, is pretty certain he won't be running the marathon :-(  Dean has struggled with hamstring issues for several weeks now.  Every time he feels better, he'll go out for a run and get 6-7km before he feels a tweak and has to stop.  He hasn't done a long run in weeks.

It's pretty devastating for him, and me.  We set this goal together and have support each other as we've worked towards it.  We've done many runs together and planned to run the big one together, getting each other through the tough moments.  We've had some great quality time training together, and it's been so fun having such a big, crazy, shared goal.  Unless something miraculous happens, he just won't be up for it.

I've felt pretty disappointed about it...this wasn't the plan!  Neither were these annoying shin splints!  It's felt like such a roller coaster this past few weeks...now I just want the day to be here, I want to get out there and give it everything and tick it off the list.  These last few weeks have been far from ideal preparation, but my mindset still feels strong.  I know if I can get to the start line pain-free, I can run it.  I've come too far to give it up.  Bring it on.

Injury Update

There's no real point to this picture, it just gave me a giggle!

It's been a looooooong 2.5 weeks of no running.  My patience has been pushed to the limit.  I've had moments of hopefulness and moments where I've just wanted to give up on my goal and never run again.

But day by day, I've felt my shin pain ease, until finally, I passed the "hopping test" the podiatrist gave me (basically, he said I could run again when I could do 30 hops on each leg with no pain).  I tentatively did a short run and while I had a few aches and twinges, there was no pain in my shins.  But I was still only cautiously optimistic, until I attempted a more substantial run.

So yesterday, I set out for the nearby Deagon sports fields.  I've been advised to run on grass to try and lessen the impact and strain on my shins.  It was a 2km run down there, and a 1.6km grassy track around the whole precinct.  I'm not used to running laps - all of my long runs have been along footpath overlooking the waterfront, with lots of variety in landmarks and views.  So this was certainly a new experience!

One I got past 5km, and a little bit of initial soreness (although none of that sharp impact pain I had been experiencing), I realised my body was up for it.  Now for the mental battle of running 11 laps!  I don't run with music, so I had only myself as distraction.

I kept my mind occupied by looking at the horses in the stables at the nearby racetrack, and the teenagers at the skate park.  I mused to myself about the young lady who came along with a deck chair, which she placed in the sun by the skate park, while she did a find-a-word (I can't ever imagine having enough spare time to do something like that!)

11 laps later, bored out of my brain, and sore all over (2.5 weeks out really makes a difference!), it was time to head home.  22km done and I know I'm going to the Gold Coast!!!

I worked out that this run was my 10th half marathon (or longer) distance, and I feel like it's been a real turning point.  The last few weeks have been filled with so much uncertainty about how it would play out...now, with 3 weeks to go, the goal is within reach and I KNOW I can do it!

Now I need to work out how to train in the final 3 weeks.  I'll need to decide whether to fit in one more long run next weekend or whether to start tapering.  I'll definitely try and do as much running as I can on the grass so I can go into the race with no soreness.

I'm SO thrilled to be writing a happy post again!  Gold Coast, here we come!!!

PS This is a great opportunity to tell you about Utopia Women's Wellness - an expo I'm speaking at in Brisbane next month (I spent much of the run yesterday formulating my speech!)  It's going to be fabulous, so find out all the details here and I'll hopefully see you there!

One Month Until the Run and Not Having Fun

Today marks exactly one month until the Gold Coast Marathon.  I can't believe how quickly the year is flying by!  Race day will be here in no time - on one hand, I just want it to be here already and on the other, I wish I had more time.

Preparations are practically at a stand-still.  It's not good news on the shin splints.

When I self-diagnosed last week, I had in my mind that I might be off training for a week.  I could handle that.  I would only miss a week, which was inconvenient, but no big deal, as I was pretty much a week ahead with my training anyway.  When a week passed and the pain was no better, I went and saw Doug James, who's a physio and podiatrist at Intraining.  He was excellent - very thorough, very knowledgeable and very kind, and I would highly recommend him to anyone.

Basically, I have a fairly bad case of medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), but it doesn't seem to be the extreme end, which is basically stress fractures and would definitely mean no marathon.

The good news is that there is still a fair chance they will heal up in time and I will be able to run the marathon.  The bad news is, I'm still not able to run for about another 10-14 days, and the timing is really cutting it fine.

In my favour, my training and preparation up until now has been super consistent and thorough, and I've done up to 32km, which is the maximum a lot of people do before a marathon anyway (even though my plan was to get to 36km).  But I am a bit concerned about losing fitness - so I'm keeping up with the cycling (which is amazingly pain-free!) and am keen to try some deep water running, which is meant to be an excellent low-impact substitute.

This is not where I want to be one month out and it's driving me pretty crazy.  I'm pretty upset about it at times, but very rational at other times - and if the Gold Coast doesn't happen, there are heaps of other marathons I can do.  I'm so disappointed that after 16 months of running without any injuries, this has happened just weeks out from such a huge goal, which I've been so focussed on for so long.

I am still icing, stretching and massaging - fingers crossed the pain goes away in the next week and I can get back out there.  I don't think I'll get any more long runs in, considering marathoners generally taper for the 2-3 weeks before the race, but at this stage, I'll just be super excited to be back running at all.

I appreciate all the support and advice and words of wisdom I've gotten from so many people - it means so much.  My training may have taken a bit of a diversion, but I WILL be a marathon runner!

Sidelined...

This will be me sometime this week!

It's 5 weeks until the marathon and I'm sitting on the sidelines, not able to run.

It all started after last week's struggle run, from which I pulled up pretty sore.  I attempted a speed session on Tuesday, but couldn't go very far because of soreness in my lower legs.  I thought it was just general aches and pains, so I didn't push it.  I rested Wednesday and was still in pain Thursday...when the penny finally dropped.

Shin splints.

That delightful condition known to many athletes and runners.  So here I am, 5 weeks out from the marathon and getting pain in my shins every time I run.  Not good.  I have done a lot of research and spoken to trainers and runners, along with a physio and I have a plan of attack.  I am icing them several times a day, stretching and massaging...and not running.  Aaargh!

It is frustrating and devastating and all I want is to get out there!  But on the other hand, I know my training up until now has been very consistent and I have the kms under my belt that a week or so off the track won't affect me too much.  I was also told a little pearl of wisdom from my neighbour, Carl - an infinite source of wisdom when it comes to running.  Your body doesn't realise what type of exercise it's doing - so doing some other form of training will ensure you don't lose fitness while you can't do something else.

It's all I needed to hear to jump on my bike on Saturday and pump out a 2-hour ride, going 40km along the waterfront.  Since getting into running, I've been neglecting my bike, but it felt fantastic to get back on.  I find it so relaxing and it was just amazing to not feel any pain in my legs, while still getting a good workout (mind you, I had a very sore bum afterwards!)

So, the plan of attack this week:  go bike riding until my legs feel good enough to run.  It's not worth risking any more injury by running while I'm still sore (frustrating but important!)  Continue ice, rest and massage.  I have purchased full-length skins to wear, which will hopefully help me stay pain-free when I get back into it.  My final couple of long runs will be on grass, to avoid the pounding impact of the concrete.

It's been a tough week, and frustrating to say the least, but I am hopeful that it's a minor case and will heal up quickly.  I'm desperate to get back to running and get back on track with marathon preparation. Fingers crossed next week will bring a happier blog post and that I'll be happily running again!