Day 651

1.  I've got a cold and am feeling a bit rubbish and also a little sorry for myself.

2.  Thankfully today was a rest day. 

3.  Although I didn't rest! I woke up having had an anxiety dream about not having done enough work towards my German GCSE! I've never studied German in my life and have no idea where that came from! 

4.  C was quick to point out that perhaps I'm worrying on H's behalf!! 

5.  12 weeks to London!

London - 84
Total Distance covered     1102.3 miles

Day 650

1.  I might not be feeling the benefits of my training at long distance, but I'm starting to feel more solid round parkrun. Accompanied by fellow parkrunner it made for a nice run, much more pleasant than last Sunday although too quick for much conversation.... you win some, you loose some!

2.  Always a good day when Mrs parkrunfastfinisher comes to join us! Although at her third parkrun appearance overall and second at Dewsbury she's got a fair way to go before she can be classed as a regular ;) but be warned we'll make an addict of you yet!

3.  Always a dangerous day when sisterofMG750 is in an airport with time on her hands.... consequently the ballot for the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October has been entered!

4.  It is apparently on her bucket list which pleases me on two counts...

5.  Firstly she's planning on running again after London, and secondly she doesn't think it's going to kill her!!

London - 85
Distance covered                    6 miles
Total Distance covered     1102.3 miles

Day 649

1.  Train tickets for travelling to London on the Friday before the marathon became available today.... which means it's twelve weeks, which means it's all starting to feel a little real!

2.  Two emails in from London Marathon one offering me a download of the course which I can then watch whilst I am running on the treadmill and the pictures will move at the pace I'm running and I'll get to see other runners who are using the software at the same time (or at least I think that's what it said...) all very impressive but my phone isn't flash enough to run the app - oh dear!

3.  The second is much more old school and therefore up my street! Someone in London this April will be the millionth London Marathon runner and I get opportunity to buy a unique T-shirt to commemorate my part in being part of that million.  This has excited me slightly more than I think it should.

4.  Talking with Mr and Mrs J this evening about how my training was going, and I was telling them how I'm finding it hard especially as I don't feel like I'm getting any stronger, I just seem to feel older, more tired and with more aches in my legs with each day that passes.  They listened politely but I could see they weren't really buying into what I was saying.

5.  Fast forward four hours and, after a lovely evening sitting round the table eating fabulous food and enjoying their company, I think they got the message! My legs had completely seized up and to get up from the table I had to tip myself forward maintaining the same angle that my hips and knees had held for the evening and hobble to the support of the sofa where I could begin the process of trying to straighten myself up! Endurance athlete?! More like ninety year old grandma.... should have taken my knitting with me!

London - 86
Total Distance covered     1096.3 miles

Day 648

1.  Hmmmm I didn't expect the numbers to vary quite so soon!

2.  A trip out for coffee with some of the running girls turned into a wonderful excuse for a second breakfast after which running kind of went out of the window.

3.  Starting to feel like I'm running on a barrel (like the ones there used to be in the park schoolfriend and sisterofMG750) that it's taken on it's own momentum and my feet can no longer keep pace with it.  From experience the only way to stop it, is to lift your feet off and let it spin on it's own for a while whilst it slows down.

4.  This works great as a metaphor, but in reality I'm just not so sure how to jump off and leave everything spinning without me attached...

5.  But a trip out to see H in Othello this evening accompanied by good friends and family provided a good distraction for a while!

London - 87
Total Distance covered     1096.3 miles

Day 647

1.  Tired, weary and a little bit jaded by the whole marathon thing, it wasn't with the best of attitudes that I entered the gym this morning.

2.  Desperately trying to find the motivation to start my kettle bell dead lift, plank and upward rowing sets I receive the most opportune text from my sis..... she is being driven down The Mall (I'm guessing in a taxi and not a State carriage) and sends me a picture of what will be the finish line!

3.  "Keep your eye on the prize" - became my mantra for the rest of the session.... thanks sis xx

4.  I can't give up with only 88 days to do, and especially not after what I've put myself (and so many others through) the past 647 days.

5.  88 days...  or put another way 38 more training runs, 34 gym sessions and 16 days off*

London - 88
Total Distance covered     1096.3 miles

* numbers may vary!

Day 646

1.  I've found my distance!! Early morning run back from dropping my car at the garage - all TWO miles of it! Loved it!!

2.  I wasn't quite so ecstatic with my do nothing day...  

3.  Try to do too much end up stressed, opt to do very little outcome's the same! Damned if I do, damned if I don't!

4.  Going to have to try and find some sort of happy medium tomorrow.

5.  Meanwhile the news in from FMG is not good. She has decided to defer her marathon place (very un-smiley face).  I wish you hadn't had to make the decision, but fully support and understand the choice you've made.  But I'm still going to call you Full Marathon Girl because your day will come xx

London - 89
Distance covered                       2 miles
Total Distance covered     1096.3 miles

Day 645

1.  It is a very sad state of affairs when you would rather be up and foam rollering your legs at ten past six in the morning than lying in your bed - such are the joys of the life (and pain) of an endurance athlete.

2.  But my legs felt better for it - although they weren't quite up to the gym!

3.  I think it's fair to say that I have become a little overwhelmed by the enormity of the task ahead, which has made me want to run for the cover of my duvet and stay there.

4.  Although that said perhaps if I'd spent a little less time under a blanket yesterday afternoon I might have felt more organised today! 

5.  So in an attempt to regain control I wrote a very ambitious to-do list for today and then got all flustered this afternoon when it became clear that I wasn't going to be able to achieve it!  Not the desired effect and leaves me in the procrastinator's heaven of setting the following goal for tomorrow "to aim to be less productive than I'd hoped for today!"

London - 90
Total Distance covered     1094.3 miles