Manchester Marathon Week 10– The week I felt tired!

Training for the marathon feels like your whole life is focused on the Sunday long run. I threw the rulebook out the window, agreed to a family day trip in full auntie mood then gulped when my training plan arrived. I glanced at the big shiny 32km training run pencilled in for the same day.

“Oh well”, I thought.

Reflecting back now, the Sunday long run was the least of my worries. I started Manchester Marathon Week 10 training tired, very tired and the tiredness has been constant. Week 9 ended with a fast 5km run and a long 25km run – back to back.  The mixture of fast stuff and the long endurance runs are slowly catching up with me.

After a rest day on Monday, my legs still felt tired on Tuesday when I couldn’t quite hit my 2 minute interval pace. My mind busy with some life stuff (yes, I am very soon becoming a published author) and it always seeps into my running.

A busy mind, means less focus on my training, resulting in heavy runs. I don’t dwell on it though.

Life and training flows – ups and downs.

Wednesday I cut my 10k easy run down to 5km. My legs felt like they were stuck in first gear and just wouldn’t get going this week.

A rest day slotted into Thursday, which involved a day trip out to Edinburgh to explore a Sculpture Art Park for three hours. On foot. More tired legs incoming. Arghh this week felt relentless and my big runs were still to come.

“Oh well”, I thought again.

So to Friday – the highlight of my week -  I ran a 10km event for the 1st time in over 2 years. Whoop whoop.

It was so refreshing to be around 300 like minded runners on a dreamy sun soaked Friday night.

Times have changed from my party girl days.

Of course, the lead up felt a bit different – it was one of those weeks after all. I had a collection of reasons not to run. My body feeling low in energy due to ‘that time of the month’, the heat, the event a 30 minute bike ride away, and the planned 32km training run on Sunday. All swirling about in my mind.

Again, I felt sluggish. This is when self doubt creeps in, when we make ‘lazy’ or sloth inspired decisions.

But I am happy to confirm I cycled to the event and I ran the 10km race.

The first 3km felt good, then came a killer energy sapping hill before you run downhill attempting to catch your breath before you repeat it again.

I felt it all.

With 250m to go someone shouted over "it's just around the corner". And it was. The finish line. My Garmin beeped and I collected my caramel wafer. I waited for my friend, we chatted then I cycled 30 mins back home.

A cup of tea, the victory caramel wafer and a bath were my reward for showing up! And my time was pretty fast!

As I went to bed I reinforced what I achieved 'tonight was about finishing', especially as I knew how my body and mind were feeling – T.I.R.E.D!

These are my takeaways from that 10km race:

There will always be reasons (or excuses) NOT to do something. You need to find even more reasons to do it as you won't always be motivated.

When you literally start running, and don't stop, you are closer to finishing. The finish line will always appear, sometimes you just can't see it. The same applies to anything in life. Start and don't stop then see how far you can go.

A caramel wafer and a warm bath is better than a Personal Best and medal. You define your own success, so reward yourself for it. Sometimes finishing something you started is enough. It doesn't always need to be a new goal. 100% done is better than 80% nearly.

Life can be relentless, so plan in rest. I am looking forward to a massage this week.

What a week – and it wasn’t over!

I forced myself to run a recovery 8km on Saturday.

Then it was the day I would run my furthest training run since probably October 2019.

I knew after a fab day with my niece and nephew lion spotting, a very long run awaited on my return to Glasgow. The minute I arrived back at my flat I kept repeating “we are running soon, don’t get too comfy”. I didn’t dread it or really feel anything. I just knew it was a run I had to get done.

As I set off, I felt grateful it was dry and warm. My short shorts still the outfit of choice. With a podcast playing, I told myself it was 6 x 5km then a 2km finish in the belief it would seem not as far, or brutal, as running 32km. Trick your mind by chunking it up.

The truth, I struggled the whole 32km.

My mind was not in the mood to be tricked. Suddenly 6 x 5km felt impossible.

Ofcourse, it is possible – when you keep moving forward. One step at a time, one km at a time. One canal path becomes another, you ‘suddenly’ find yourself at 30km and near your home. I switched up my music at this point and just ran. The last 2km – making sounds like a wounded cat.

As my Garmin beeped at 32km I smiled as only I know how tough this training is and how you overcome so much – mainly in your head.

The marathon training breaks you to make sure you are ready for the day.

6 weeks to go until Manchester, and I am broken. But Monday is when we rest then we go again.

2 weeks until my half marathon in Newcastle.

And what do I have to look forward to – a 33km run on Sunday. I might greet.

“You can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week, or you can quit and your mind will hurt for a lifetime.”