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It's a beautiful sunny day and it's my day off! So an early start to maximise on all that Mother Nature can offer me.

As always, today's adventures were shared with Penny and Cassie, my two faithful lurchers. We all thoroughly enjoyed the colours, smells and vibrancy of our 8 mile circuit. Autumn is often refered to as the twilight of life so it seems odd that I use such words as vibrant. But it truly does make me feel alive. The warmth and richness of colours seduce me to drop all chores and surrender myself to the outdoors with wild abandon! The poetry of the scenery is catching!

This was a perfect day to start my new training regime to get back into challenge fitness. I am not going to be blase and assume I am as fit as I was in the summer when I did the Dreadmill 24 hour challenge and Forces March. I also need to change the running style, as previously mentioned and started, from heel strike to forefront. So it was smusing that I should find myself drinking a yummy red merlot made by Barefoot! An omen that training must begin.

Yesterday I sent out a tweet asking for advice on how people would help a novice 47 year old start her running career. It was a reference for myself. The suggestions were all very simple, effective and pertinent. The key elements were to train slowly, drink plenty of water and follow a plan. We often get too set in our ways and forget some of the basic rules which are designed to make us comfortable and stronger.

So I shall be following my Asics online planwhich you can view at any time too. I like this plan as I can set my pace, time to train, when the event is and it works out all the running formulas for me, including taper and warm down. I shall cross train on the rest days doing kettlercise, pilates and swimming. I shall be using home dvds for the Kettlercise and Pilates.  I am doing the Reading Half Marathon 17th March for the The British Heart Foundation in memory of Ged so that is my goal. I shall be dressed as the Duck for that. All my other events will be dressed as Debra Butterfly and that will be blogged as  Debra's Flutterings.

Food versus refueling will also be reviewed. I shall return back to my old ways to only eat foods that are "real" - completely ditching all of the processed food/drink for natural alternatives. It could be argued that milk is tampered with and that cheese, quorn, tofu, hummus are not real, but essentialy they are pure ingredients with nothing added. I shall be primarily eating more protein than carbs as I want to burn fat. Breakfast will be a hemp protein drink mixed with fresh juice. Lunch will be an avocado, tuna, egg salad with cracked wheat & pulses. Dinner will be meat and steamed vegetables. Just something easy to cook, prepare, transport!

So, today I have done 8 miles with the dogs at a leisurely pace. I did my (youtube) Lunge Matrix first then a (youtube) kettlebell warm up. A good routine to get into to help me with my warm up to running. Tonight I shall do my Guy Noble Kettlercise DVD with a (youtube) pilates cool down and a (youtube) post run yoga stretches. 

To improve my forefoot strike I am doing a series of running drills such as these. I am still trying to find the ultimate youtube set. I rely on these because I train better if I have a virtual training partner.

Now, what have you done today?



 
 
It's a bit of a tough post to write. A dear friend died after this run. I have had a day to compose myself, and will just write specifics about my run. Also, if I was late in posting my training blog, which was my tool to keep me focused, motivated and on track, Ged would have been messaging me for the proverbial butt kick to write it.

I had woken up expecting a cloudy day with low temperatures. That would have been ideal for me to do a half marathon in my duck suit. However, Mother Nature clashed with the BBC weather report and had her own ideas. I scraped frost off the car, stood around in meeting area in a cool wind, and then as the race started, some one turned the furnace on!

My training has paid off. I was able to run at a steady pace for the entire half marathon, even up the hills. I had brought a half litre bottle with energy drink that I had hoped would last the duration of the run. By the first water station at mile 4 I had sipped it dry! I had to top up at each water station and ended up sipping 2 litres of water. I had pee'd four times before the race; and didn't go to the loo for about six hours after the run! Despite lots of slow sipping of fluids after! It was hot-hot-hot!

I had packed 4 sports jellies to nibble on. I usually just need one after the first hour, then every hour. Think I had eaten them all within the first hour. Dehydration or hunger - goodness knows, but thank goodness for all the lovely people supporting the race with bags of jelly babies, jelly beans and haribos. I love you all! I promise, I really did have a big mixed porridge breakfast a couple of hours before the run!

I wasn't looking forward to doing this run. No reasons why. I just couldn't muster any enthusiasm. It was like there had been a week of limbo between events. Ged had the same feeling. He really just wanted to get on with the run, and get it over with. He had enjoyed the Green Park triathlon and Sports relief events the previous week, so this run just seemed out on a limb, disjointed in the events calender.

However, I truly did party from the back of the 16,000 people packed snake of a start. I was able to enjoy the course without being crushed, at my own relaxed pace, and with a delightful crowd and energising bands.

I didn't get a PB, and my official finish was 2hrs 57 mins. I was pleased with that as I didn't stop running and it was really hot in my Duck suit.

Good news is even after the race, through the afternoon, evening and into Monday, I was injury and ache free. I walked the dogs Monday morning, and then did a 3 mile run at lunch time for Ged. My fastest 3 miles ever in 25 minutes.

Obviuosly with events that have unfolded I will now look forward to partying with the Reading Half Marathon runners and supporters in 2013. That Ged, I dedicate for you.

Further to that I have also pledged to run every day, as close to midday as I can. I will push myself out of my comfort zone and keep his dream alive. I will need to revisit and adjust my training plans!

Next big event is The Forces March! 5 marathons in 5 days!May 23rd - May 27th


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OooOOooOOOoo a Jelly Baby! Come to Mumma Duck!