Tuesday 1 May 2012

The Game Changer

Quite a lot has happened since my last post. My running has improved a lot since the physio sessions with Vicky and I have now clocked up 20 miles since I began this journey. It doesn't seem very much, but when I started out I couldn't even run 500 metres and I have been blighted with injury from the start - it's my first milestone of sorts, so I was pretty happy when my last run took me over the line. Next stop - 50!


In terms of Tough Mudder, my whole training regime is now changing after I surprised myself and volunteered to run the Berlin Marathon for Children with Cancer. I wanted to run Berlin a couple of years ago - my Dad ran it three times and we actually lived in Germany for three years when I was very little. I have the most amazing memories of Christmas markets with beautiful, sparkly decorations and the deepest snow imaginable - although I think it maybe just seemed really deep because I was so small. The chocolate is much better in Germany than over here and Easter is a huge deal - I remember these cute little chocolate ladybirds my sister and I used to eat, and I found some in this beautiful independent chocolate shop in Sheffield last weekend.






Anyway, I digress. I just wanted to write a little about how much I'm looking forward to going - it will be 28 years since I left but I'm hoping it will stir up a few memories.


So, I spoke to a lovely man at Children with Cancer called Ben. He ran Berlin last year and said it's a great course for a first marathon as it's predominately flat. The world record was set there and it's described as the fastest course in the world. Not that this has any relevance to me - if I get to the finish line I'll be over the moon - although we are going to try and finish in a time of around 4:30. My partner in crime for this event is the lovely Lindsey McNally, who was the one person I knew would say yes in a heartbeat; I had already signed her up before asking the question so I was more relieved than anything when she agreed. Tomorrow night will be our first training run and we plan to do it by the book - starting off slowly and building it up using the MARCO pacing strategy. If we run to an average pace of 10:18mi then we should finish just shy of 4:30 and we have 21 weeks left to train.


In addition to the marathon training, I am also going to be doing circuits at Performax at least once a week. I went last night for the first time in ages and absolutely loved it - Justin has moved to a new studio just out of town and there's oodles more space, so he has installed a TRX machine which I can see myself getting completely addicted to - our nine minute circuits last night included squat pulls followed by leg extensions on the TRX followed by; squat push with 10kg kettlebell, push up to plank, squat-hold with 5kg medicine ball, tricep dips, side twists with 5kg medicine ball (all on Powerplate), burpee to push up with one of those horrible air filled domes and then this weird rope exercise which makes you look like you're interviewing for a job as Santa. Anyway, all that three times and I was knackered, but it also felt amazing to be back in the studio so a big thank you to Justin for that.


I have started a countdown to Berlin now - 151 days until Lindsey and I line up against 30,000 others at the Brandenberg Gate. Holy crap.


Sam x





2 comments:

  1. You know the problem with you Samantha, it's that you'll make the whole thing look easy. So so proud of you. x

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  2. Thank you sweetheart - means a lot (and it definitely isn't easy!) x

    ReplyDelete