ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

After long months of training and set backs with illness and life getting in the way- I did my first marathon, despite being hugely undertrained! My longest run was 17 miles and I'd hardly run in the last month running up to the race. It was a long, hard slog - basically speed walked the last 13 miles- but I made a conscious effort to stay in the moment and enjoy it. The weather was beautiful, the scenery amazing and the other runners and supporters were wonderful! Also epic shout out to my boyfriend who ran the whole way with me in a frog costume! I'm now in bed nursing aching legs and feeling grateful I am able to run and that I completed 26.2 miles! @fatmaninalittlesuit

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Yesterday's intervals- complete with nerdy pen and paper to keep count of what rep I'm on 🤓 Planned 10 x 1 min at 11kph. Legs still felt heavy from Sunday's 16 miles- reduced the goal to 8 reps- got into it and smashed 12!👏🏼🙌🏼 I'm finding more and more the secret is just to go and try, even if you aren't feeling it- you might surprise yourself!😸

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Longest run ever today- 16 miles! Probably one of the toughest too featuring: Emergency toilet stops 🚨🚽 Nausea 🤢 Calf cramps 💥 Tears 😢 Managed to power through and (after some brief wobbles) chose not to suffer. Felt exhausted but proud I stuck at it���🏼💪🏼💪🏼 The rest of the day has featured sleep and eating whatever I can find 🍴🥄 @fatmaninalittlesuit

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

New shoes 👟😸😸😸There's always time for gratuitous trainer porn! Can't wait to run in them!

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Marathon training is go! Had some difficulties uploading here - hence the silence. Still plodding on💪🏼

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

My 50 mile challenge bling arrived!🏃🏻‍♀️🏅💪🏼

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Sunday runday🏃🏻‍♀️ Explored some trail routes near my mum's place- and got fairly lost 😂Had some "help" stretching out afterwards from a four legged friend 🐶❤️

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Shambled along for 5k to reach my goal of 50 miles in a month (my longest distance) for- you guessed it- more bling 🏅😂

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

My favourite race photo in the world 🌎 "Leaping in Liverpool" 😂 🎸☮️ Tried to jump again at mile 12: got about 1cm off the ground and nearly fell on the photographer. Considering the exorbitant asking price for this one🤔💷 @fatmaninalittlesuit

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Liverpool rock and roll Half Marathon 🎸 Lovely festival atmosphere, super friendly fellow runners and a PB by 10 minutes 😁🍾💪🏼Bonus points for luminous 60s style bling and tee ✌🏼🌼☮️ @fatmaninalittlesuit

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

A hot and sunny 5k with running club ☀️💧🏃🏻‍♀️ So hot, in fact, that I joined the #sportsbrasquad outdoors for the first time 💪🏼

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

10 miles around my home town in this ridiculous fleece headband and sunglasses combo😂 Gotta love British weather 🇬🇧

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Now for something different! I signed up for a super sprint virtual triathlon with Virtual Runner UK - and did it all in one go after work today! It was fun! Swim🏊🏼‍♀️ 400m Bike 🚴 10k Run 🏃 2.5k - I scoffed at the shortness of the run segment but I was SO done in that last photo😂 Now to upload my proof and await my bling in the mail 📮 @fatmaninalittlesuit

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Today was sponsored by super sweaty treadmill intervals 😅💦💧

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

A much shorter run than planned- but managed to squeeze a short 5k in while visiting friends in London. Felt like more than 5k thanks to stop start pedestrians and endless side roads! Highlight was a hipster doffing his hat at me as I shambled past 🎩😂

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Running is so glam...

Here's a little list of things detailing the less glamorous side of running. I'm all for insta worthy shots of runners hurtling along effortlessly, but sometimes think we miss out the real struggles we all go through at times.

I'll post a few over the next few weeks. As it's mental health awareness month, I thought I'd kick off with:

Mind related issues

It took me a good while to realise that you can have a bad run due to your head being in the wrong place, or just downright unhappy.

I was more than familiar with physiological niggles and kit fails (more on those another time) being a drag, but was truly taken aback when I had my first "negative head" bad run.

1. Completely losing your confidence and getting out of sync 

Feeling like you literally can't even put one foot in front of the other - suddenly, by some awful magic you have forgotten how to run and you flounder around like the (lovely) dog in the photo. Luckily this passes. I usually find walking it out and trying to stay present by looking at the surrounding or noseying at people around helps refocus.

2. Bad run anger. 

I'm a fairly sweary person, but the levels fly off the clapometer on a bad run. Whole hours of running would have to be censored into a continuous "beeeeeeeeeeeep" to make it family friendly viewing. I had huffy, out of breath, foul mouthed rave at my boyfriend recently, ending with "You're just a fucking sickening energiser bunny!" to realise a person out in their garden had heard it all and was laughing. Horror.

3. Bad run nihilism. 

Similar to the above but not as entertaining. *shuffle* *whine* "Fucking stones in my shoes, I hate stones....God damn uneven trails, literally why can't they just pave it already?! Argh now it's is super bright, god, I hate the sun, I mean, what's it even for?!"   Literally every atom is conspiring to mess up my run and I hate ALL OF IT! This is instantly cured after the run finishes, and the sun is amazing and necessary once again.

4. Bad run body hate.  

"If only I wasn't so clumsy and awkward I could run like a gazelle, like Jane at running club". "If my biomechanics weren't so crap, I would get blisters/aches/pains/ridiculous injuries!", "If my ass wasn't testing the capacity of these leggings, maybe they wouldn't fall down!" My brain can think up worse things to say, but that's fairly representative of the unhelpful stuff it churns out. My go to replies (which back and for like Gollum talking to himself) are: You are stronger than you think, You are out here and doing it, and I practice running - it's not a finished product with some grading at the end! Our bodies are amazing and by running (or any exercise) we are making them fitter and stronger. I've always disliked my legs, especially my upper thighs and have never been able to think of a single nice thing to say about them. After I crossed the finish line at my first half marathon, the first thing I did was mutter "thank you legs!" for carrying me over a distance I thought I'd never achieve.

And finally...

[ramblings-of-a-reluctant-runner]

Love the sentiment of this top! Wavered about going to the gym after work for both physical and mental health reasons. Sore blisters meant I couldn't run and I felt exhausted and quite low after a tough day at work😬. Exercise really helps me to feel better- so I attempted a brief strength session💪🏼. I felt discouraged and annoyed with myself at the start as I'm out of practice with weights. I kept determined, and began to enjoy the session and felt much better afterwards 😊