1st Official Training night for the Limerick Marathon! aaahhhh!

Ok, 10 weeks down...of preliminary training... woohoo! Started our initial training on Nov 7th up in the IT Tralee with Marcus (Born To Run Marathon Training Group)...round and round the campus...never really knew that campus but now I do, including all the hilly bits...i do remember one (of many!)bad day of training....it was pouring rain, hailstones and wind... Stopped started that day and was tormented with myself... Brian had to drag me up the hill practically...and it wasnt really a hill...he was trying to tell me take small steps at a time but really in my own mind I was fecking and blinding him...would he ever shag off and leave me alone! (to be blunt!)... I sat in the car and said I was never coming back...but I had a good chat with myself...loola...and I did go back...if this marathon training was going to be easy, everybody would be doing it...slowely but surely,day by day, it gets a little easier....but I have to keep focused obviously...

The one thing that I have figured out is that running has given me routine...and structure...everything I do nowadays is based around running...here is a few examples...

Willl I go to McDonalds on a Friday night and scoff a Big Mac meal and people watch in the car park whilst filling my belly? No I've running tomorrow! and I want to run all the way...

Will I book a nice meal in Bella Bia and order the Brushetta (which kills me but it's worth it!) No, I've running in the morning....

Will I stay up late and watch a DVD or whatever....no I need to go to bed early for running tomorrow....

So I'm turning into a Nun...all I need is the Rosary beads and say ' bless you' more!

Running has good points also...I eat porridge for my breakfast, I always pre make my lunch for work, bring my carbonated bottles of water everywhere with me otherwise I'd be legging it into the shop for the black stuff...but im peeing like a trooper! and I have a proper dinner...but to make all this happen I make sure I do a proper shop for the week and pre plan my dinners...if I didn't have everything planned I'd fall off the wagon...

After the run on sat I felt good... Delighted in fact...went for a 20k cycle Sunday morning at 8.30.....it was bloody bitter cold...stopped in Topaz at the Fat Mile for a long chat with the rest of the group... nearly cried with the pain in my fingers but I had to do this because I feel it helps my breathing etc...not worth it tho!

Ordered a DVD from the states called ' Spirit of the Marathon' .... I'd said I'd watch it when I'd hit my first milestone and the was sat, my 5 miler! So i watched it on sun afternoon...It's more a documentary rather than a film and it follows runners right through to the Chicago Marathon...loved it...I would recommend it to anyone as a boost mentally....but would have loved chocolate, tayto's, and pop corn to accompany me during the vid....anything really! had a chuppa chup lolly instead to keep the ould mouth occupied!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8XSit8XyeM

The Run: Ok was kind of looking forward to running tonight ( mad! Me like running , never!)..... came loaded with my tissue and barley sweets....Had a good blow in the car in preparation! Took off steady... But felt good...I don't talk whilst running...if anyone tries to strike up a conservation all I do is grunt....hit the corner by the aquadome before the dreaded hill...controlled my breathing...head down...talking away to myself to distract me... slowly but surely, and I mean slowly I start to go up, no pants falling down, breathing good.... up and up and up and up and up....Catriona tells me to relax...F&$k off you F$¥ker was my answer to be honest!! but I made it!....panting like a heifer!! result!! ....

This running business is a full time job....