Zoe’s Double Marathon Challenge for Charity

Now the count down really begins…it won’t be long until my whole Double Marathon Challenge for Charity comes to an abrupt end.  I am feeling sad and happy, relieved but scared, anxious yet excited!!!  Normal life awaits me :o)

Okay, I admitted it.  I am just a teeny weeny bit excited about the race now too.  Really only teeny weeny though. As a runner, who wouldn’t be? But I still feel unprepared, nervous and not at all confident.  Ideally on Sunday, I would love to get through the race comfortably and without hitting the dreaded wall.  I am Carb Loading which is a good start…though I am concerned about being able to take on enough fuel during the race.  Unfortunately, since London I am having trouble stomaching Lucozade and Sports Gels!

My bags are packed and I fly to Edinburgh tonight….with of course my precious running number and shoes in my carry on baggage (just incase our checked luggage doesn’t make it!!)  Tomorrow I am looking forward to relaxing, soaking up the predicted sun shine and preparing myself mentally for the last half of this challenge.

Secretly, I would love to better my time in London.  With the right training and race conditions, I know I am capable of a 3hr 45min marathon.  BUT!  Training has not gone to plan and I fear everything will come crashing down when I reach mile 20.  I know those last 6 miles are going to be harder than any 6 miles I have ever run before.

Wish me luck!!!  I predict I will finish between 4hr -5hr. I will be crawling over that finish line if I need to…I will not return without a medal :o)

With the Edinburgh Marathon only days away and the London Marathon a somewhat distant memory, it is time to reflect on how I have spent the last five weeks in-between.  Whilst there is much information available on the best methods and practices for training for a marathon, there is very little advice on how to train between two marathons scheduled close together.  Therefore I trained on gut feeling and by trying to listen to my body.

I took a full weeks rest after the London Marathon from all training activities (with the exception of over-eating!!). The break was good but the blues were setting in.  Following the week break, I threw myself back into training, spacing it out with rest days inbetween.  I managed a comfortable 17 mile/27km LSR (Long Slow Run) the second week, followed by a very tough 12 mile/19km LSR the following week.  From here, all training seemed to go dramatically down hill!

Perhaps it is the London Marathon catching up with my body? Training in this last two weeks has been almost non existent.  With niggles returning in my knees/ITB and a flicking sensation in my buttocks, I went into panic mode last week when I additionally developed an incredibly severe tension in my back/shoulders/neck.  My whole body felt out of alignment and I could not comfortably train.   

I immediately booked in to see the Chiropractor last Friday.  It was almost instant relief for my neck after my first adjustment!  However, when I tried running 10km the following day (quite unsuccessfully) I returned home 5km later, feeling rather deflated.  

Since Saturday, I have had a Sports Massage and another adjustment at the Chiropractor.  I’ve ran only one 10km this week…my last run before Edinburgh.  I found it extremely difficult to get into rhythm and maintain marathon pace.  Hence, I am not feeling very confident about this Sunday at all!! I’ve got one more Chiropractic session tomorrow and then I am all on my own.

For better or for worse…I will be running the Edinburgh Marathon!!!

Post Marathon Apathy Syndrome is a common phenonmenon for marathon runners.  With the excitment of the marathon season over and the intensity of the preparation behind them, some runners feel a sense of relief and welcome the opportunity to relax, while for others the sense of focus and purpose is lost.  Completing a marathon is a very emotional and physical process, even more so if the accomplishment is the highlight of a runner’s life.  What do they replace the activity with?

I suffered from this after completing my first marathon last year…a real empty feeling…with all motivation completely lost.  It took me 3.5months before I began running again.

I’ve found the last week tough.  Whilst very happy with my performance in London and I’ve enjoyed taking a week break, I am still experiencing that empty feeling.  It is very difficult when you spend four months preparing so fiercely for an event, only to have it end so suddenly within as little as four hours.  I am sure that while London starts to fade into a distant memory, I will start getting excited all over again about running Edinburgh!