Run Fatboy Run. by arminakas

So it turns out that on Sunday's run, I pulled my Hamstring.  No wonder I was hopping...  Apparently its not so bad as to stop me from running the marathon, but I'm not allowed to do any exercise this week...  How else am I going to work off all of the Easter chocolate?  Have just got to treat it tenderly until I see the physio again on Monday. Fingers crossed.

Ah, well.  Or more to the point:

Well...  Aaargh...

So there I was, all prepping up for the last long run before the big day.  Carb gels - check, water - check, energy drinks - check, support crew - check, route - just start running and see where you end up.

So there I was, ready to go, stretching away, warming up those muscles, DeepHeat on the achilles.

"Hey hun", I said to my lovely wife mid-stretch, "I couldn't do this 4 months ago...".  And that was my downfall.  There I was stretching off muscles I don't normally stretch before a run.  2 miles into the run I could feel it tightening.  I couldn't tell you which muscle it was, but it was one of the ones in the back of my thigh. 4 miles into the run, I misjudged a step and felt a twinge.  7.5 miles into the run and it was game over.  Madly hopping to slow down, then trying some stretches against a sign post.  Couldn't find a stretch that would work.  Ended up limping to my support car (ain't family brilliant) and getting a lift home.

Headed for the gym in an attempt to get some advice, but ended up on the Power Plate in a position that looked decidely dodgy.  I will admit, my leg did feel a bit better afterwards.

So after 7.5 miles of bloody good going (mostly uphill), my last long run had been brought to a halt.  A couple of days later and the pain and stiffness is easing away now and I've a good feeling that it was only a pulled muscle and will be back in good shape for the big day.  The big question is, should I try for another long run this week?  I'd like to, my leg might not and my physio will probably be against it, so I'll find out tomorrow morning.

My ankle was loving it, and I felt completely cheated by the pulled muscle.  Every other fibre of my body wanted to keep going...  Grrr...

They say that 90% of the marathon is run in your head. Well, for the amount of running I did last night in my sleep, I  think I should change my name to Eddie Izzard!! Seriously, the thought of running 19 miles on Sunday is worrying me. I don't even think it's the distance that's causing the worry. Finding 4, 6 and even 9 mile routes is relatively easy (my 9 mile run was 2 laps of my 4.5 mile route). Trying to find a 19 mile route is proving to be a little tedious. I can't find a nice solid section of road to run on that lasts for more than 5 miles. All roads out of here amount to fast black-spot roads without pavements. Grrrr...

Looking back over the last 4 months of training {insert Nike+ link} it's plain to see that I've done a lot of little runs but no really long ones until recently. I don't think that's helping in the battle of body over brains. In the past 4 weeks I've gone from 3 miles to 4, 6, 9, 13 and now I'm planning a 19 mile run, solo. I know that I can do it, but that doesn't stop the doubt.
Running the half marathon was ok; knowing that I was in the same boat as the other people running with me, giving me the confidence that I could do it. Safe in the knowledge that after 3 1/2 months training, I could keep up with the rest of them. Running the same distance, plus an extra 6 miles on top and doing it solo, that's a daunting task. Don't get me wrong, my lovely wife will be helping me along, playing support car and handing out water and energy drinks every mile or so. I'll have pockets full of carb gels, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a bloody long way. It's no marathon, I know, but it's still a bloody long way!
I think that in the half marathon, it was the other runners that kept me going. Not that there was time, nor breath in my lungs for chit chat, but just the knowledge that we were all there for the same reason. That's what got me through. Running in the marathon I imagine will be a similar experience, but with added crowds cheering everyone on. I'm incredibly confident that I will finish the marathon in spite of, if not because of the screaming that my muscles will be doing, together with the other runners, enduring the same feelings of fatigue and pain but carrying on regardless because we all need to get to the finish. All of the first time marathon runners that will be rejoicing, screaming, crying, and begging to be able to cross the finishing line. Marathon, piece of cake. Solo running, frightening the crap out of me.

So here I am, in Starbucks pouring my fears into my iPhone... Trying to plan a route for the 19 mile long run. The last long run before the marathon. I know I can run it, I've made it this far with an injury, which is an incredible achievement for 4 months training.

Come on people, if I can do it, so can you.

I've finally received my number for the VLM.   The number is 35718.  Now things are getting close, the nerves are really starting to play a part.  I don't know whether to get excited or run and hide.  The thought of running 26 miles is thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

I went to see my physio on Friday, who seems to be pleased with the progress that my injury is making. After 2x6 mile runs last week, he seems to be more confident that I'm not going to treat it like an elastic band and twang it till it snaps!  Naah, he's a good man is our physio.  In fact, he even gave us tickets to the Glee club (he couldn't get a babysitter).  What a top bloke.!!  He even let me do a 9 mile run yesterday (he wasn't too sure about it when I mentioned it last week).  So I did the 9 mile run in roughly 90 minutes, which I certainly ain't complaining about.

So I've got 1 last long run to do before the big day.  Unfortunately, I figure the last long run should be a 19 mile affair.  6 miles further than I've done so far (furthest so far is a half marathon).  And while the thought of the 19 mile run does not fill me with delight, it just bring into context the thought of running the marathon; another 7.2 miles on top of that again.  I've just to to spend a couple of hours trying to figure out a 19 mile round trip, or at least a run to a hospital 19 miles away (would that the right distance for Worcester I wonder?!)

I've had a look at the marathon route in the magazine thingie that you get with the marathon pack and it doesn't look too bad from above, even though it is across 6 pages.!!  The real problem is that the route is surrounded by pubs, with around 15-20 of the in the first 6 miles alone.!!!  Hopefully I on't notice that much.  I think that maybe I should be thankful, my work colleagues were threatening to organise a outfit for me to wear so that they could spot me on the day.  They might have forgotten.  You never know, they might even read this blog? Bwuahahahaha...

Anyway, some of us round here need our beauty sleep.  It's about the only rest these poor muscles get these days...  Good night...