After the pain I've been having in the arch of my foot, it was with some hesitation that I headed out for a walk today. I started off slow as I went to meet Ny, hoping that easing my foot in would reduce any problems. In the past I would have just taken painkillers and been done with it but as I have grown and matured I have realised that this is not the best option. Able to feel the injury alllowed me to alter my pace and continue with the walk. I was aware of it being uncomfortable but it was only towards the end that I could have described it as painful.
Our original plan had been a stroll along the canal but Ny needed some things from town. Errands run, we headed to explore an old cemetery that had been allowed to grow over in to a nature reserve. It appears that new headstones are being reserected for old soldiers who are buried there!
It was then a wander along the Water of Leith before heading back to town. What felt like a small stroll actually ended up being a 4 hour 13.7 mile walk, but oh did the stairs back to my flat hurt my feet!
Total distance: 13.7
Average speed: 3.4 mph
Average moving speed: 4.4 mph
Time: 4 hours
Monday, 30 May 2011
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Oh my aching feet!
I had planned on heading out for a couple of hours walking with Ny today but I'd been kept up through the night with pain in my knee and arches of my foot. I wanted to go ahead but at a slower pace however she pulled the sensible card and said no.
In my previous marathons I'd been plagued with arch pain from far earlier in my training and I was beginning to think I'd got away with it this year. Despite this minor set back I am determined not to let it phase me for the night. I'm missing today's walk and I'm only going to do 15 of our planned 20 on Wednesday in the hope that it will die down. If not, well, that's what pain killers were made for. If I can't walk for a week after the night, I don't care, as long as I get across that finish line!
In my previous marathons I'd been plagued with arch pain from far earlier in my training and I was beginning to think I'd got away with it this year. Despite this minor set back I am determined not to let it phase me for the night. I'm missing today's walk and I'm only going to do 15 of our planned 20 on Wednesday in the hope that it will die down. If not, well, that's what pain killers were made for. If I can't walk for a week after the night, I don't care, as long as I get across that finish line!
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Taking Care of Myself
With two weeks to go until the Big Night my mind has turned to the things I need to do in preparaton.
Munchies:
Knowing that I'll need to eat through the night to keep me going, I headed out to Real Food to buy a selection of snack bars. As I have a number of food intolerances I need to trial them before the night to be sure they don't cause me any problems. Now I just need to resist replacing lunch with them as they look so tasty!
Wobbley bits:
I had been hoping that my training would help me lose weight. In a way, it has, I'm half a stone lighter (about 3kg) but it isn't as much as I had hoped for. Now I know that there will be women of all shapes and sizes with all their wobbley bits proudly on show but it doesn't make me feel any more confident about getting my stomach out when wearing my decorated bra. If only I'd thought to add sit ups in to my training routine months ago! On the plus side, I can see my waist again, there is a definite change in my silhouette between hips and chest.
Feet:
The most important part of my prep. My feet have carried me about 200 miles during my training and I'm expecting them to continue on and carry me the 26.2 miles on the night. Last time my feet really suffered. I had huge blisters and I lost toenails on both feet. This year I'm aiming to reduce this as much as possible. I'm having regular foot soaks, scrubs and slapping on the moisturiser. Less rough skin means less chance of blisters. I also have a couple of sessions planned at the foot spa where tiny toothless fish nibble away the dead skin leaving your feet silky and soft.
Nutrition:
I'm beginning the planning for my meals in the week up to the marathon. Ah, carb loading, that means I get to eat crumpets and toast all week right? Apparently not! I have meals of wholemeal pasta, quinoa, cous cous and potatoes, full of veggies and protein to build up my carb levels before the race. As I can't eat the meal they provide on the night (damn you citrus intolerance!) I'm taking along two tubs of pasta with duck sauce (the most awesome pasta sauce in the world). The first will be before the race, more carbs, less sauce. The second will be for after with a good extra dollop of awesome sauce to help muscle repair.
Hydration:
It goes without saying that you need to be hydrated before any endurance exercise. However, it is even more vital when you suffer from a condition that is controlled by keeping fluid and salt levels up. Let them drop and at best, I'll feel a bit woozy, at worst I could have a seizure. I drink plenty of fluids but I'm attempting to add an extra litre of (non-tea) fluids a day to ensure there is no dehydration on the night.
Sleep:
I've been sleeping really badly at the minute. Today my aim is to give the bedroom a thorough clean, get rid of any trace of dust which can trigger my allergies and breathing problems in my sleep. I might also resort to the herbal sleeping tablets to ensure I'm well rested for the night.
Most of all though I'm just trying really hard to not be too excited.
Munchies:
Knowing that I'll need to eat through the night to keep me going, I headed out to Real Food to buy a selection of snack bars. As I have a number of food intolerances I need to trial them before the night to be sure they don't cause me any problems. Now I just need to resist replacing lunch with them as they look so tasty!
Wobbley bits:
I had been hoping that my training would help me lose weight. In a way, it has, I'm half a stone lighter (about 3kg) but it isn't as much as I had hoped for. Now I know that there will be women of all shapes and sizes with all their wobbley bits proudly on show but it doesn't make me feel any more confident about getting my stomach out when wearing my decorated bra. If only I'd thought to add sit ups in to my training routine months ago! On the plus side, I can see my waist again, there is a definite change in my silhouette between hips and chest.
Feet:
The most important part of my prep. My feet have carried me about 200 miles during my training and I'm expecting them to continue on and carry me the 26.2 miles on the night. Last time my feet really suffered. I had huge blisters and I lost toenails on both feet. This year I'm aiming to reduce this as much as possible. I'm having regular foot soaks, scrubs and slapping on the moisturiser. Less rough skin means less chance of blisters. I also have a couple of sessions planned at the foot spa where tiny toothless fish nibble away the dead skin leaving your feet silky and soft.
Nutrition:
I'm beginning the planning for my meals in the week up to the marathon. Ah, carb loading, that means I get to eat crumpets and toast all week right? Apparently not! I have meals of wholemeal pasta, quinoa, cous cous and potatoes, full of veggies and protein to build up my carb levels before the race. As I can't eat the meal they provide on the night (damn you citrus intolerance!) I'm taking along two tubs of pasta with duck sauce (the most awesome pasta sauce in the world). The first will be before the race, more carbs, less sauce. The second will be for after with a good extra dollop of awesome sauce to help muscle repair.
Hydration:
It goes without saying that you need to be hydrated before any endurance exercise. However, it is even more vital when you suffer from a condition that is controlled by keeping fluid and salt levels up. Let them drop and at best, I'll feel a bit woozy, at worst I could have a seizure. I drink plenty of fluids but I'm attempting to add an extra litre of (non-tea) fluids a day to ensure there is no dehydration on the night.
Sleep:
I've been sleeping really badly at the minute. Today my aim is to give the bedroom a thorough clean, get rid of any trace of dust which can trigger my allergies and breathing problems in my sleep. I might also resort to the herbal sleeping tablets to ensure I'm well rested for the night.
Most of all though I'm just trying really hard to not be too excited.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
16 days to go!
Wow, the marathon is fast approaching, only 16 days to go. This evening I met up with the marathon girls to do a 20 mile training walk. We decided to try some psychological trickery this evening. The last two marathons I've done, we've hit the 18-20 mile point, it's around 4am and we're exhausted, muscle aches have kicked in and it's been really hard to carry on. This long stretch is along the coast, you can see miles ahead of you and it doesn't feel like you're getting anywhere.
This evening we did the long coastal stretch from Crammond to the end of Portobello promenade before looping back in to town and doing a half lap of Arthur's seat. The theory behind this was we would be hitting the killer stretch at aroun 11 miles in to our walk whilst we weren't feeling too bad. Hopefully this means that on the night we can remember our training walks and the nicer feeling. We had a little stop once on the promenade, refreshed with some juice and fruit and some giggles to remember on the evening. I also included the harder half of the Arthur's seat route because if we can manage that at 15 miles in, it will be a doddle at 4 miles in.
I'm hoping this theory will work and we've another long walk planned for next week which will probably be the same route.
I was really pleased with my progress this evening. We were a little slower than last time but that's to be expected the more people there are walking. I actually ached more around the 8 mile mark than the later miles. By the time I reached home I'd done 21 miles. I was tired, my toes really hurt but I felt good.
Total distance: 21.1 miles
Total time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Average speed: 3.96 mph
Average moving speed: 4.39 mph
Next walk: Wednesday
This evening we did the long coastal stretch from Crammond to the end of Portobello promenade before looping back in to town and doing a half lap of Arthur's seat. The theory behind this was we would be hitting the killer stretch at aroun 11 miles in to our walk whilst we weren't feeling too bad. Hopefully this means that on the night we can remember our training walks and the nicer feeling. We had a little stop once on the promenade, refreshed with some juice and fruit and some giggles to remember on the evening. I also included the harder half of the Arthur's seat route because if we can manage that at 15 miles in, it will be a doddle at 4 miles in.
I'm hoping this theory will work and we've another long walk planned for next week which will probably be the same route.
I was really pleased with my progress this evening. We were a little slower than last time but that's to be expected the more people there are walking. I actually ached more around the 8 mile mark than the later miles. By the time I reached home I'd done 21 miles. I was tired, my toes really hurt but I felt good.
Total distance: 21.1 miles
Total time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Average speed: 3.96 mph
Average moving speed: 4.39 mph
Next walk: Wednesday
Monday, 23 May 2011
Not training in the rain
I was supposed to be doing a 13 mile walk this evening with Ny. Unfortunately we've had to cancel due to exceptionally high winds. Gusts of up to 100mph have hit parts of Scotland, bins are being blown along the road, trees have come down and it's nearly impossible to stay balanced whilst walking. I'm far enough on with my training now though that I'm not too bothered about missing the odd walk. I got 50 lengths in at the pool so at least I had some exercise
Thursday, 19 May 2011
9.2 miles from the finish line
Yesterday I headed out to meet up with my marathon friends, unfortunately the other Kat wasn't able to make it so it was just me and Kate. The original plan was that we would walk about 13.5 miles but when I looked at bus times to get to their work to meet them for the walk, it was going to be quicker for me to walk there instead. This decision should have added 3 miles to my walk, however in my rush to leave the house I checked the route online and forgot to tell google which enterance to the park I wanted to go to and as such, my 3 mile walk became 4.
The route we chose for the evening was really nice and for the most part, kept us sheltered from the wind. We headed down to Leith where we joined on to the Water of Leith, following its course as far as the visitor centre at Slateford where we tackled the stairs of doom, up on to the canal.
I was very impressed with our walk, we kept a good pace throughout and made really good time. I don't have the speed stats handy but we were making an average moving pace of around 4.8mph!
I'm a little achey now and I've bruised my toenails as I have a genetic deformity that causes a couple of toes to curl over so I end up walking on the tip/nail when I walk fast but other than thatI'm feeling pretty good. I haven't been back through my posts from last time but I'm pretty sure I've done more training so as long as I remember to drink lots I should be fine on the night!
Total distance: 17 miles
Next session: Bra decorating on Tuesday followed by the big 20 miler on Thursday.
The route we chose for the evening was really nice and for the most part, kept us sheltered from the wind. We headed down to Leith where we joined on to the Water of Leith, following its course as far as the visitor centre at Slateford where we tackled the stairs of doom, up on to the canal.
I was very impressed with our walk, we kept a good pace throughout and made really good time. I don't have the speed stats handy but we were making an average moving pace of around 4.8mph!
I'm a little achey now and I've bruised my toenails as I have a genetic deformity that causes a couple of toes to curl over so I end up walking on the tip/nail when I walk fast but other than thatI'm feeling pretty good. I haven't been back through my posts from last time but I'm pretty sure I've done more training so as long as I remember to drink lots I should be fine on the night!
Total distance: 17 miles
Next session: Bra decorating on Tuesday followed by the big 20 miler on Thursday.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Well that wasn't so bad
Despite my earlier grumblings about how I wasn't really looking forward to heading out for a walk I actually enjoyed it. I layered up in the waterproofs and zip up hoody to allow warmth and dryness against the horrible weather.
Again Justine wasn't able to join us so we decided to head for another local hill and nature reserve to see what we could see. I am amazed at the beauty that is within a short wallk of my doorstep. Both locations have been viewed on dreary days and have been outstanding, imagine what they'll be like on a sunny day!
Total distance: 9.9 miles
Next walk: Wednesday which will be my first walk with my marathon friends
Again Justine wasn't able to join us so we decided to head for another local hill and nature reserve to see what we could see. I am amazed at the beauty that is within a short wallk of my doorstep. Both locations have been viewed on dreary days and have been outstanding, imagine what they'll be like on a sunny day!
Total distance: 9.9 miles
Next walk: Wednesday which will be my first walk with my marathon friends
Saturday, 14 May 2011
my background's green!
In rather random news, I've just opened my blog on my boyfriend's computer as we have a friend sleeping on the airbed in the livingroom so I can't get to my laptop. The background to this is a sagey green colour? I've always been under the impression it was a blue colour. This does not bode well for photos that I've edited on my laptop as clearly it is overly blue.
Thursday, 12 May 2011
Exercise, Exercise and more Exercise
It has certainly been a busy day today. We were up and out of the house by 7:30am to head for the pool. We used to try and swim on a monday, wednesday or friday, however after the last few times that we've been on a Tuesday or a Thursday, they are clearly the days to go. Aquafit starts at 9am so I think that puts people off using the pool on those days. It was lovely and quiet, not once did I have to give way to someone, get scratched or splashed or change my course. I got my 50 lengths done in really good time.
By the time I got home I'd walked 3.6 miles, no time for a nice cup of tea and a sit down though as I had just 20 minutes to get changed before heading back out for a hair cut. From there I wandered in to town to meet The Boy and his mum for lunch before a stroll round town. The stroll proved rather productive as I found a dress for the wedding we're going to next week, got a microfibre, packs down tiny, towel for swimming and found a bra to decorate for the marathon.
By the time I got home I'd added another 4.5 miles to my distance and it was another quick 15 minute change before heading out to meet Ny for our evening walk. Justine unfortunately wasn't able to make it this evening so we decided to change our route and have a wander around Blackford hill instead. It was so beautiful though we did get lashed with rain coming up a near vertical slope. We appear to be getting our April showers a little late.
By the time we got back to Ny's I'd done 17.3 miles of walking and because not all of it had been at speed and it had been spread through the day, I was actually feeling really good for it.
Total distance: 17.3 miles
Weather: torrential rain, glorious sunshine and a good lashing of wind
I'm starting to feel positive about this marathon after all.
By the time I got home I'd walked 3.6 miles, no time for a nice cup of tea and a sit down though as I had just 20 minutes to get changed before heading back out for a hair cut. From there I wandered in to town to meet The Boy and his mum for lunch before a stroll round town. The stroll proved rather productive as I found a dress for the wedding we're going to next week, got a microfibre, packs down tiny, towel for swimming and found a bra to decorate for the marathon.
By the time I got home I'd added another 4.5 miles to my distance and it was another quick 15 minute change before heading out to meet Ny for our evening walk. Justine unfortunately wasn't able to make it this evening so we decided to change our route and have a wander around Blackford hill instead. It was so beautiful though we did get lashed with rain coming up a near vertical slope. We appear to be getting our April showers a little late.
By the time we got back to Ny's I'd done 17.3 miles of walking and because not all of it had been at speed and it had been spread through the day, I was actually feeling really good for it.
Total distance: 17.3 miles
Weather: torrential rain, glorious sunshine and a good lashing of wind
I'm starting to feel positive about this marathon after all.
Monday, 9 May 2011
Back on track
Training has slipped a bit due to holidays and Beltane and visitors but today I headed out for another walk with Ny and Justine. For the first 40 minutes my walk very much lived up to the blog name. There was a torential downpour and by the time I reached Ny's office I was soaked. On the plus side, the rain was warm, less people were out and it really quickened my pace (4.5 mph). The second stage of the walk was drier and slightly longer than normal as after our lap of Arthur's Seat with Justine, we detoured to the supermarket on the way back to Ny's. After a quick water stop I headed on for home before my legs started to stiffen up.
It was good to be back and able to dry out properly. A nice bowl of salmon risotto and a long hot bath with a glass of wine awaits!
Total distance: 13.3 miles
Average speed: varied between 4.1 and 5 mph depending on who was walking with me at the time
Weather: very wet then dry
It was good to be back and able to dry out properly. A nice bowl of salmon risotto and a long hot bath with a glass of wine awaits!
Total distance: 13.3 miles
Average speed: varied between 4.1 and 5 mph depending on who was walking with me at the time
Weather: very wet then dry
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