This challenge has been my target and sole focus for the past eight months. Status: COMPLETED!!!

Results: Flora London Marathon

Completed in 3hr 52min 41sec (Placing 8,414 out of 35,206 finishers)

Results: Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon

Completed in 3hr 47min 31sec (Placing 1,699 out of 8,257 finishers)

Fundraising: I am proud to advise that the current fundraising total for the charity Sense (Deafblind) is a staggering £3,435.00!! With a couple of outstanding donations and the charity tins yet to count up, I am hoping we will break the £3,500 mark. Outstanding!!!

A special thank you to everyone for your unwavering support, messages of encouragement and especially your generosity during such difficult economic times!!! xxx

My journey, particularly over the last five months, has been an incredible rollercoaster of emotions. There were tears for my injuries, stress as training plans went awry, disappointment when canceling (training) races, relief when the first 20 mile training run was completed, excitement with each new purchase of running kit, laughter as the Bee costume made its public appearances, encouragement when noticing improvements in running speed/endurance and of course, pure pride and elation after successfully completing each marathon.

For five months training took precedence over almost all aspects of my life, running in the cold & dark, rain & snow. There were Saturdays when I was up at 4.00am to begin endurance training and Sundays when I spent over three continual hours glued to a treadmill. When I wasn’t running, I was stretching or strengthening or attending pilates or visiting various medical professionals.

I will always remember this year’s first endurance training run (in shorts) in -5 degrees, watching frost forming on a friend’s beanie whilst we ran along the River Thames, carefully stepping over ice and wondering when I would ever feel my fingers again!! Indeed, this is a stark contrast to the Edinburgh marathon on Sunday, where I ran in scorching 23 degree heat with almost no shade for 26 miles, except for my own shadow.

There were numerous times over the past few months that I thought I would never make it and I questioned my ability to continue, especially while carrying injury. However: determination, perseverance and stubbornness prevailed. The challenge is now completed and I sincerely want to thank you all for your kindness and support. Whilst your support didn’t make the physical challenge any easier, it certainly meant a lot to me personally and helped drive me forward. So, Thank you!!

The Future? I can safely say (and probably much to my husband’s relief) that there will be no more marathons this year…however I do have my ballot in for London 2010. I am currently eyeing off some Half-Marathon races, which should keep me busy over the coming months:o)

You can read about my latest marathon experience on the Edinburgh Marathon 2008 page or follow this link:

http://zoemarathon.goannatravel.com/edinburgh-marathon-2009/

A HUGE thank you to everyone for your support.  I am still awaiting a couple more donations and I need to count the charity tins yet…so there is a good chance of breaking the £3,500 mark!!!  :o)

Outstanding!!!

13,104 runners entered the marathon.  8,419 marathon runners started the race and 8,257 finished the race.  162 marathon runners started but did not finish. 

SCOTSMAN News (02/06/2009)

“RUNNERS have branded the Edinburgh Marathon as “shambolic” because of a shortage of water and a decision to cut short the race. Sunday’s event saw 160 participants treated by medics after the marathon got under way in temperatures of around 22C. Runners said that there was a critical lack of supplies at water stations.

Competitor Doug Steele said: “There was not a single bottle of water remaining at the first water station at Loch Road when I came, about 20 minutes into the race, and I passed a further four stations which had completely run out of water in East Lothian.  I had to rummage through discarded bottles at the roadside to find one or two with some water in them so I could stay hydrated.”

Organisers said there had been adequate supplies and that any shortages had been temporary. However, Alison Grant, who had traveled from Huddersfield, Yorkshire to compete in her first marathon, said: “The ‘temporary’ water shortages were inexcusable and not temporary at all – many water stations were just empty trestle tables and myself and many other runners were relying on the kindness of supporters and local residents.”

Ms Grant attacked the decision to cut the race length from the standard 26.2 miles to 24 for hundreds of the slowest runners. She said the move had left her feeling cheated.”

BBC News (02/06/2009)

“The organisers of the Edinburgh Marathon have revealed that more than 6,800 bottles of water were stolen before the start of the race. Sunday’s event was marred by complaints from many runners that inadequate supplies of water had been provided along the route.

Race director Neil Kilgour said the theft had left two water stations without water for 40 minutes.

More than 4,000 Lucozade energy gels were also stolen. Mr Kilgour said the thieves struck in the early hours of Sunday morning. The water had been left on three pallets along the route of the race. He added that organisers quickly organised mobile teams of police and support vehicles in an attempt to deliver water to those who missed out when it became apparent that two of the nine stations had run dry.”

Am so proud :o)

Not only is it a new PB (Personal Best), but I managed to cut an entire 5 mins off my London time.  I must admit that I totally fell apart from mile 18 though.  It was physical torture as the temperatures were so so hot (reports suggest 22-24degrees) with no shade the entire 26 miles and water stations were spread way too far apart.  For the first time ever in a marathon, I gave in to the temptation to walk and did so briefly three times in the latter stages.

It was such a relief to cross that finish line, I completely bawled my eyes out and poor Aaron didn’t know what was wrong!!! I just can’t believe that after 8 months it is finally over and I did it!!!!!!!!  :o)

Time to return to normal life….can you remind me what that is?? I’ve forgotten.  Hehehe.

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)

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!!!

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!

After fighting injury throughout the most part of my marathon training, I am proud to advise that on Sunday I ran the full distance from start to finish, maintaining a steady pace of 8:45mins/mile (5:30min/km), without any trouble from my knee or ITB.  I am well chuffed with my achievement.

I owe a special thank you to the Realbuzzers, as without your support and encouragement over the past few months, I may have never made it to the start line in the first place. I would also like to thank those who came along on Sunday to cheer me on!!

I am excited to share that my current fundraising total for my charity Sense has now reached £3,394.28 (AU$7,058) including GiftAid.

However remember, I am only half way through my Double Marathon Challenge for Charity, with one marathon down and one more to go!!!  I have less than five weeks to recover and prepare both mentally and physically for another hard slog of 26.2miles (42.2kms). This will be the most difficult part of my training, as without finding the correct balance of rest and training, I may be setting myself up to crash and burn in Edinburgh.

I have written about my London Marathon Experience…if you would like to read about it, please visit the London Marathon Page…or alternatively, follow this link: http://zoemarathon.goannatravel.com/london-marathon-2009/

Photos will be uploaded in the next few days.

The day was beautiful, the crowds were amazing and I could not have asked for anything more.  I am proud to say I ran the entire marathon from start to finish, shaving a minute off my personal best time by crossing the finish line in…

3hr 52mins 41seconds.

I am extremely happy, very sore and completely shattered!!  I will write more soon…I promise!!!

P.S.  I beat Gordon Ramsay!!

OMG…I am so excited and so nervous!!!  This morning I am full of beans and pent-up energy…I could run the marathon right NOW!  I just hope to have this feeling again on Sunday morning.  48 hours from now, I will be one of the 35,000 runners standing anxiously in their pens (RED START, PEN 5) waiting any minute for the start gun to go off to mark the start of one of the world’s most famous races!!!

My training has now ceased and all that can be done, has been done.  There is nothing I can do now to change the fate of my run physically.  Mentally however, there is plenty I can be and will be doing.  

Wish me luck! :o)

P.S.  If you come to cheer me on this Sunday, be sure to keep an eye out for some of this year’s celebrities running, including Gordon Ramsay, Ronan Keating, Peter Andre and Jordon (aka Katie Price)