Three...Two..One...GO!!!!

Last one to the Mall cleans up

My dear friends and supporters, the day is upon us. The last training run has been completed, the suitcases are packed and the taxi is on route. In 48 hours I will be safely enclosed in the red start area waiting for the off. I believe the only words that I can use to describe how I am feeling are

LETS DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am ready. I have carb loaded, drunk lots of water, gone to bed early, and now I cant wait. This afternoon I will go to the London Marathon Expo and pick up my number, and then there will be nothing left to do but kick back, sight see, and drain London of carbs. Last year I travelled down to London feeling a failure, having pulled out. I cried when I saw the barriers out at London Bridge, and again when I watched the runners on the Embankment from the London Eye. I told myself next year would be my  year, but if I'm honest, I didn't believe it. I thought I would fail again. Well what a difference a year has made. I know Sunday will hurt, and I would be fool hardy if I wasn't a little nervous, but I KNOW I can do it. I have trained as much as any full time doctor with three kids can do, I have paid attention to my nutrition, and I have stretched properly. I have also let go of the ridiculous notion that I am only a valid marathon runner if I can run a marathon in less than four hours, SOD THAT!. A six hour marathon is the same distance as a two and a half hour marathon, and every bit as awesome an achievement. I do have a time in mind, and will be seeking out the runners world pacer, but you know what, if I pull something, feel unwell or tire in the heat, I will not give a flying fiddle if I have to slow down to get round. What ever the time on the overhead banner at the finish, I will still have made it to the end, and will have a London Marathon Medal for my collection and that means everything to me. A sweet time would just be the icing on the cake!

This has been a big week for Team Little Legs. Caroline and Nick immortalised us in Lego, and Tommy's very kindly asked me to write for them about why I am running for them and published the blog on their website. Caroline and Nick have taken time out of what I know is an insane schedule to help me meet my target and you know what..we smashed it!! This really does make a huge difference and if I was feeling good before, I currently feel so amazing that I could be convinced I was headed for the win! Honestly, Mo who? Last night there was a cascade of good will messages, donations and emails that honestly left me feeling overwhelmed. It takes a lot to make me cry, but I sat at my computer and sobbed as I passed the £3000 mark. Team Tommy's have 130 runners on Sunday, and in the last 24 hours we have stated sending a group round robin email with good luck messages and a little bit about why we are running. These messages are heart breaking, heart warming and inspirational in equal measure, and have solidified my resolve that I am running for a truly awesome cause.

Before I sign off and alight the train (first class baby, cause I'm worth it!) can I just say a very big, very sincere thank you. Thank you for following me for two years, thank you for your sponsorship, thank you for your kind words and support. There will be more thank yous in what will probably be my last post next week, but in the meantime here's a hug

Taxi's here, no more blogs now until after the race but I will update you via twitter with lots of photo's, pre race build up and let you know how I get on after the race. Let me finish by saying this;

Be fast Mo, be swift, cause I'm gonna be right behind you!

GO TEAM TOMMYS!!!!!!!!!

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Ten Things Marathon Training Has Taught Me

Team Little Leg is in Reflective Mood



In a bid to persuade you to part with your hard earned cash I am about to impart the ten pieces of wisdom that Marathon Training has taught me.


1. 26.2 Miles is VERY long way
They all make it look so easy as they saunter down the Mall, however, the sheer reality is that if I left ponds forge and ran along the park way and turned left up the M1 I would reach Junction 39, past Woolley edge services before I had finished a marathon, and if I turned right down the M1 I would reach halfway between Junction 29 and Junction 28.


2.The Marathon is going to hurt, ALOT!
It is not easy, and no matter how well I train and prepare, this is going to hurt. I need to accept that. I got round in October, despite no-where near enough long runs and base training. Its going to hurt, but then 26.2miles was always going to.


3.If you must do a marathon, do an autumn one
I am about to become a veteran of two marathons, the first was an autumn, meaning that most of my training was done on warm sunny days and my longest runs in crisp autumnal sunshine (remember the Royal Parks Half Sonia? Glorious). This spring marathon has led to training in late autumn, miserable dark winter and very blustery early spring. Brrrrrr Splosh!


4. I would rather run in heavy rain than in high winds
After many hours of extensive research (like I said, spring marathon)  I can say with confidence that given a choice I would take being wet over being blown over. You see, you can only get so wet before eventually it makes no difference. However, in the wind you are buffeted, blown of your feet, pushed backwards, have to dodge obstacles and are thoroughly miserable.


5.The British Weather Hates Me
I was given many opportunities to find out which weather is the most unpleasant to run in. I have run in wind, hail, snow, and pouring rain and it always seems to wait until my long run day, or until I leave home. My husband took this picture of me after my Thursday five miler because I looked like a drowned rat.

The look on my face says it all

6.The countryside around Sheffield is Beautiful
Seriously, its gorgeous and I have been treated to simply breath-taking scenery. During one particular drudging cold run I was in the hills above Sheffield and starting to flag, but was cured with one quick glance to the right which saw me treated to a panoramic view over Sheffield and Derbyshire that could rival any view all over the world. It has made me appreciate how lucky I am to live in Sheffield, I live within a 20 minute run of four inner city parks, within a ten minute run of acres of woodland, and within half an hour of leaving my front door I am in open countryside and all it has to offer. Makes running for three hours that little bit more bearable!


7. I am not a natural athlete
This is not a bad thing, just a necessary realisation. I an never going to be someone who runs marathons in under four hours. I am never going to run a sub 50 min 10k or a sub 20min 5k. I am a plodder and there is nothing wrong with that. Once I accepted that fact I stopped dropping my head in shame as athletic runners stream past me, I now hold my head up high and think, at least I am giving it a go.


8.The secret is to just keep going
 Your legs will reach a point when they will scream at you to stop. They will beg you to give it up. Don't listen. You can do it, you have done it before, you have prepared. You are strong, the pain will pass, focus on whatever you need to to get you through and just keep putting one foot in front of the other. You'll get there, just keep running, just keep running...

9. A Marathon Runner is only as good as their entourage, and mine's amazing!
My daughters Rebecca and Evie act as my cheerleading squad and frequently tell me how impressed they are by the distances I can cover. If you chatted to Evie, you would think I was in with a shot at the win! Evie turned to me when I was in the ice bath and said "your very brave mummy, I think your the best mummy ever" and she is forever acting as my little fan club. Rebecca presented me with a certificate made at Girls Brigade for being the best role model, and when asked why she chose me she just shrugged in that pre-teen way and said "I'd be hard pressed to find a better one wouldn't I?"

My friends have also been so kind and said some lovely things. They have come to my events and bought my cakes, they have been so generous with  both their time and their sponsorship, have picked me up from strange locations and have given me truly lovely encouraging messages. These mean the world to me and will honestly keep me going when my legs want to stop. I want to finish on uncharacteristic soppy note and say thank you to my husband. We have busy lives, I work 48 hours a week on average, Chris works 40, and we have three children. The only way I have been able to fit in the six hours a week required for my training is down to him doing extra bedtimes, cooking teas and entertaining bored children while mummy is of on yet another run. He has been my chauffeur, coach, nutritionist and sports masseuse and I love him loads, and promise him I will NEVER do this again!


10. My cause is a worthy one
There have been times when my training has nearly broken me and on some occasions I have even looked quite unwell after runs. My husband has been concerned enough at times to suggest taking time off. The reason I don't is because those who I am raising money to support don't get a day off. The parents of premature babies have to sit by the incubator every day wondering if this will be the day their little one loses the insurmountable battle their tiny body faces just to survive. Those whose little ones make it have to confront the myriad of problems premature babies face on a daily basis.
Then there is Caroline and Nick, and the thousands of others who have lost a baby either at or before birth. They will always miss their child, they will always mark birthdays or anniversaries with sadness, or look at children who would have been born around the same time as their lost little one should have been and think, what if? They have to go every through day being strong and keeping it together for themselves, each other, and the families that they may happily have gained or already had. Some stories have happy endings, I consider Indianna the ultimate in happy endings, but some don't, and they never get to know the sheer joy that I have every time I see my girls. It is for this reason that I will see this through to the end. The thought that they don't get a day off is what gets me strapping on my trainers and going out into the rain.

Marathon training has taught me that sometimes you can feel like giving up, you can feel broken and defeated and like you just cant go on, but you can, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and before you now it your through the worst. It doesn't matter what life (or the weather) throws at you, you can do it.  I am so close to the end now, and today on facebook I saw my medal for the first time, in 12 days I will have me one of these.

Thank you once again for taking the time to read my blog, and you can sponsor me at

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

I love you all, thank you so much x

The Final Push!

Rachel to base camp...I can see the summit!!!!

So my friends, I seem to find myself in the strange position of being less than three weeks away from a marathon. How did that happen? Ah, yes I remember, just under two years ago I watched all those thousands of people on the mall making to look easy and I thought, why not? and just for good measure I'll raise some cash into the bargain.

Yesterday I did my final long training run. The picture above shows me in an ice bath, a desperate measure to help my poor aching muscles, who alas are suffering from the high mileage. I'm not sure I needed to bother however, as whilst running to the owler bar roundabout in the hills above Sheffield, I was treated to a hale storm of biblical proportions. I had planned to do twenty one miles, but a combination of hills, poor weather and sheer fatigue led me to cut the run short at just over nineteen miles. I am so very very tired. The reality of fitting marathon training around being a full time doctor and mum of three is daunting, and to be honest, I am bloody proud of myself. I haven't had the time to do any extra fund raising events, and this makes me feel very guilty, especially when I receive Team Tommy's updates and see the staggering amounts raised by my team mates.  I will try and raise extra funds after the race, however, for the time being I have to use all my energies on getting round in one piece!

So I now enter the Taper. This for non runners is the slow process of reducing mileage to prepare the body for the sheer challenge that awaits it. My long run next week is only 12 miles, the week after only six. Yes, you did read right, I said only 12 miles. Marathon training does strange things to you, it messes with your distance perception. My good friend Sonia (currently training for the Paris marathon) and I laugh at how we find ourselves doing half marathons on a weekly basis and these are our shorter runs. A year ago the distance was a big ask. Like I said, I am proud of my body, and what it allows me to do. I am trying to help it as much as I can, I have lost half a stone, am stretching every night and aim to use the extra time from reduced mileage to do some strength training. I have booked a sports massage at a local physio for three days before the marathon, and I have got some treatment for my niggles that are appearing on a daily basis.

I almost felt ashamed when I wrote above that I only managed nineteen miles, but hey, I RAN NINETEEN MILES! I got up, had breakfast, put on my trainers and ran nineteen mile in 3 hrs and 26 mins. Yes it hurt, but I did it, and I kept going no matter what the British weather threw at me. So while I sit back and enjoy the taper, I would be really grateful if you could make it all worth while by helping me reach my £3000 target. I am about £500 away, so every penny really counts.

Thank you as ever.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

The Runners came in two by two....

There's no such thing as bad weather..just inappropriate clothing


First my lovely readers a heart felt apology, I have been a bad blogger and I haven't kept in touch. I didn't even let you know how I went on in my first ever marathon! Well allow me to fill you in..

I finished, it hurt, I ate huuuge amounts of pizza afterwards.

I should probably elaborate more than that. I sat alone at breakfast at six thirty, surrounded by fellow runners and unable to eat a thing. I caught the bus and sat listening to all the other excited runners trying not to vomit. I got to the start line with only one thought in my head, "I am not ready for this" and you know what, I wasn't.

 Although it started well with a lovely run through York, my parents and the minster bells seeing me through the city, I started to get in trouble by mile 11 (not a good sign), by mile 15 I was ready to cry and by mile 19 if you had offered me a bus home I would not only have taken it, but asked for a phone so I could ring Tommy's and tell them where to stick my London Marathon Entry Form!!!

Thankfully neither a bus or a phone was available to me, so I kept on running. Then a few things happened to save me and my battered morale, first, a hill. Now you would think a hill would be the last thing that tired legs would want to face, but for a girl who had done most of her training in Sheffield, a hill was just what the doctor ordered. My I-phone shuffle mode took it upon itself to be my mind coach, with songs such as Don't Stop Believing by Journey, and Eye of the Tiger, and finally I made it to mile 23 and my mind went, 5k left, we can do 5K! That 5k actually turned out to be the fastest of the Marathon and I practically danced up the final hill to the university. I sprinted over the line in  4hrs and 57 mins.

I had so many plans on what I would do on the finish line, perhaps the Y as suggested by the website, maybe a joyous punching of the air or even the mo-bot. What actually happened was I crossed the line and shouted "thank god that's over" so loudly that one of the St Johns Ambulance men scurried over to check I was ok. I hobbled to get my medal and immediately put it and the t-shirt on, I had earned them!!! My lovely mum and dad were waiting for me at the finish, and I was also re-united with my husband, who not only gave me a much needed rub down but also came armed with four Cadbury's Boost Bars, two of which were gone in very quick succession!

 

 

Well then, one down, one to go. Today I sit here in the new Team Little Legs HQ (we moved four days before Christmas!) with my training schedule in front of me. At the time of writing we are 2 months and 12 hours from the off, and my training is going fair to middlin. I am training with somewhat more conviction this time round, it would be nice if miles 12 through 23 could not be quite as harrowing as they were in York. I am having to stick to a beginners schedule, more so I can make sure I can complete all the runs. I am still a full time doctor with three children, so time is very precious. I have taken to running both before and after work some days in order to ensure I fit in all the miles my schedule calls for without depriving myself of too much family time. I am seeing some results, but my 15 mile run on Sunday still hurt like holy hell!! I am even running in the rain, which is something I avoided before. Every time I think of skipping a run, I recall how heartbroken I felt as I headed for mile 17 genuinely believing I wouldn't make it round. That feeling soon has me reaching for the trainers and adding another waterproof layer.

 

I often find myself thinking of the genius Billy Connolly line, there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. Well with that thought in mind tomorrow morning before work come rain or shine  I will run five miles, and rest assured, my clothes will be very appropriate, now, where's my wetsuit?