The training schedule

So I always said that when September hit I'd start to train properly for the marathon.

Well it's September. Oh good. Can't tell you how much I hate running! Probably about as much as Paula Radcliffe hates it when people ask her if she actually pees herself when running competitively to save time. For the record, I'll stop to pee if I need to. No worries there.

Anyway, I emailed the lovely running support team at the British Heart Foundation and said that I was wondering if the personal trainer that supports their runners would put me a plan together to help me train. There were a few questions on a form to fill in.
I, of course, lied.
According to the form, I'm of above average fitness, weigh half a stone less than I actually do and exercise twice a week on average. Excellent start.
Then a happy email from the mis-led trainer pops into my inbox. Several attachments included. One about stretching (haven't read that one yet- wish I had, will explain in a bit). One about general advice. And one with what doesn't appear to be a training plan but rather a schedule of torture.
Seriously, it's ridiculous. This week I am meant to be doing the following:

Monday: 30mins cross-training
Tuesday: 45 mins steady run (whatever "steady" is)
Wednesday: 40 mins body conditioning or pilates
Thursday: 45 mins steady undulating run (undulating? as in hills? I don't think so Pal)
Friday: Rest (thank goodness!)
Saturday: 45 mins recovery run and stretch session (how is a run "recovery"?)
Sunday: 75 mins long run, easy conversational pace (surely that's walking then?)

And that's week one!

Now I know that I've got a church meeting Monday night and choir to lead on Wednesday night so I thought I'd better get going this weekend.

Yesterday, I went for a swim. 40 lengths of 25m pool in sub 30 minutes. Great. Easy peasy. No running involved.

Tonight, I've been for a 6km run. It took me 43 minutes. I was determined to at least jog all the way rather than my usual stop-start technique of run a bit and walk a bit.  I achieved that! No walking for me. Nope. None at all. Some fairly slow jogging in there, especially up Aspley Lane which seems a lot steeper incline when attempting to run rather than when I drive it. But some quite quick running (down-hill of course) and no walking at all. Did I already mention that? No walking!

All good. However, the no walking rule appears to have taken over now I've stopped running. The laptop needed the power cable as battery getting low. I got up to walk to the other side of the lounge.
Ouch. Ow. Oooch. Eeek. OUCH.
Why have my calfs (or calves- never sure which is plural cow and which is plural lower legs. Bad considering I'm a doc) seized up already?! They really hurt. And I've got an all day theatre list tomorrow so that'll be a right laugh.

So today's lesson for a non-runner running a marathon is stretch. I'll be reading that stretch sheet then Thanks BHF!

Next time......more about BHF.

The starting line

This is the very first blog I've written and I'm hoping this blog will chronicle the ridiculous few months I have ahead of me.

Why?

Briefly:
Our best man and my husband's best ever friend died suddenly on February 25th this year. He was 38. Essentially, he died of a heart attack. At 38. And Mark was a fit, football crazy, golf mad, sport loving man who even worked for a sports organisation. We've been devastated by losing him.
It's wrong that young people die of heart disease. It's wrong that middle aged people die of heart disease. It's wrong that we don't understand enough about congenital heart conditions and premature onset of cardiovascular disease and so much more.

So......
I'm running the London Marathon in 2012 for British Heart Foundation in memory of the very wonderful Mark Versey.

You might think "Well that's lovely Lizzy, but what's the big deal? Loads of people run the London Marathon every year. 37, 000 of them to be precise."

Well, I can't run.

I mean it. At school I always ran the 100m (shortest distance possible) and if possible got out of sports day with some music commitment excuse. I tried to play goal shooter at netball (less running). I hung about on the wing at hockey and looked sheepish. At the gym I avoid the scary treadmills and favour aerobics or Zumba or ballet fit (when I actually drag my rather chunky bottom off the settee). Last year I watched my husband run the marathon and was so inspired I thought I'd give jogging a try. I found I was generally more successful at walking. I've even forced myself on a "Learn to run" course.

So this will be the blog of how a non-runner learns to run a marathon. Not because I enjoy running (I hate it) but because it seems appropriate that I do something that's a real challenge to celebrate the life of Mr Mark Versey and to raise vitally important funds for research into heart disease.

Next time..... the training plan.