Lots of gloomy posts in the past few weeks but right now I am feeling on top of the world (mentally not physically)

I finally got passed the dreaded 13 miles with a very good 15 miles run, everyone has been telling me that you get good runs and bad runs but they all seemed like bad runs in the past few weeks, until yesterday. I completed the 15 and honestly felt if necessary I could've kept going for several miles. The pain was obviously there through aching but nothing like the previous runs and my pace and consistancy was still going strong at the end.

I did however head home at 15 miles mainly because it was getting very dark by this point and I think Claire was getting ready to send out a search party. My final time was 2:20 which is about right for my pace and certainly good enough to make me happy for a first attempt.

I set off around 4:30 armed with pockets full of jelly babies, 2 power gels, a bottle of water and a bottle of lucosade sport, I strategically positioned the 2 drinks at a sensible, discreet point on my route and set off (probably slightly too fast) and didn't feel too great after a long day playing with the kids and walking around shops. I remained postive though and thought I'd take it as it comes and see how I get on.

Everything was going ok and I finished the first of my 4.5 mile laps and stopped briefly to eat a few jelly babies and take a few sips of each drink before putting them back. My plan was then to stop again after the 2nd lap and have the 1st of my gels with the water but disaster!!

When I got back the drinks were gone! I stood in sheer bewilderment for a few seconds wondering why they had gone and who had taken them? What do I do now? I took the plunge with the gel anyway going for the blackcurrant one first.... yuck that was disgusting!!

Off I went again with the thick horrible tasting gel and jelly babies making me even more in need of a drink, again at this point my run could have been ruined but what the hell I carried on. A few miles later I took the plunge and downed the next gel strawberry and banana... yuck even thicker and just as revolting!

I have never tried the powergels before or a serious amount of jelly babies and maybe it was in my head but they seemed to be working. I have said before that the problems with pushing my distance was most probably mainly in my head and I think they made the difference, as I was not feeling my body tell my to stop as I went round to finish the 3rd lap and get to 13 miles. Now I had to improvise a couple of miles on my route and that could be where my mind takes over and thinks I have done enough? Not today I was determined to hit the magic 15 and I did it without a problem, feeling as if I could've (with refreshment) easily pushed out several more miles.

The pain was there as expected after and no doubt will be for a couple of days but my confidence is back and I am feeling for the first time that I can really do this

I found this easier than the Silverstone effort but I definitely think that experince has really helped me and I am now not blaming the same old excuses, like running on my own and doing the same routes. I was very careful throughout the run to dodge some monster pine cones after my previous set back and I also didn't deliberately avoid the small hills and bridges as I have in the past. Under 5 weeks to go now and I have my official number now everything is becoming very real but I back on the up at the right time.

Quick question for the experience runners, how many gels can I have on the day? Is there a dangerous amount or any side effects? I am thinking 5 would be good but don't want to overdo it

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