Running on my 40th Birthday! by jolynch

Well, training is going reasonably well - I'm following a beginners training plan as my aim is to get around again, with no time aims other than quicker than last time (6h37). I'm never going to pretend to be a runner, I had thought this time I may be able to jog around the whole way but I think realistically I will do some walk sections. This has been driven by the fact that my right knee is giving me some problems again (I had a medial ligament  partial rupture repair 3.5 years ago) and I don't want to pop the ligament again!

So my positives and negatives so far?

positives

• training is going much better than last time - i think that's because 2 years ago we had all that snow in Feb which was disastrous from a training perspective (living in rural England!)
• 10 miles feels brilliant and really comfortable - and that was a run all the way distance for me, which I never managed last time
• warming up and down properly has been enlightening (!!) and my calf muscles are no longer getting tight!
• I've entered the Milton Keynes half next weekend and feel comfortable about that at race pace (I'm aiming for 12 minute miles whilst running - although I did 10.5 in 2 hours dead the other day which is slightly quicker than that!)
• One of my short runs is a 4.25 mile circuit and my speed is increasing as I have progressed from completing that in 52 minutes first time to 47 minutes now (without aiming to run fast, more aiming to just run at a speed which feels comfortable)
• I'm looking forward to the 17th April, which is also my 40th birthday!
• I am raising lots of money for Diabetes UK

negatives

• I don't enjoy my short 2-3 mile midweek runs as they really hurt!
• my long runs are uncomfortable for the first couple of miles (but then as a positive, once in rythym it's great)
• Lucozade makes me sick so its water for me!
• my knee starts nagging after around 4 miles, but not enough to make me stop
• I've tried running with a knee support but its uncomfortable
• I can't run after a long run for 3 days (not just knee, but slightly heavy legs)
• I sometimes have to miss a short run in the week but always manage my long runs
• The most I have done so far is 11 miles - I'm doing 12 tomorrow and MK half next week, but actually I am not worried - again, its better than last time when I didn't go beyond 15 beforehand, and I still got round
• I'm not built for running - 5ft3 and short legs!

But - I'm running for charity, and that's my big motivation. I've done it once, I will do it again, and I can't wait!

Thanks for reading if you have got this far - comments and encouragement welcome!