Miles of Memories

It's Saturday afternoon and I have now thawed out, my toes have gone from white to purple to pink from watching Owen take part in the Rutland Water Duathlon.  We are staying in Oakham and head off to Milton Keynes tomorrow to run the MK20.  As I mentioned in my last blog the race was booked before the decision was made to try and attempt the World Record.  I have not trained to run this distance since my last marathon in 2013 and it has taken some days out of my planned training for this week and I expect hill hinder some of next weeks sessions.

I feel relaxed about tomorrow as there is no pressure on me to achieve a certain time.  Unfortunately the James household have been poorly this week and it still lingers for tomorrows race so a diet of paracetamol has been the staple meals of the day.  I'm going with the same approach as I did with Snake Lane, run on heart rate and see what it clocks when I pass over the finish line.

Tomorrow is my first mothers day without my mum.  It's the first year I thought about the fact that Mothers day is a celebration for so many mums out there but this year I realise it's a day of sadness and remembrance for many others.  No better way to deal with my emotions than to run for 20 miles and think of her!

A year ago today my mum was stuck in a hospital in Christchurch as part of a cruise when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  I emailed her a Mothers day card and cried feeling helpless that I couldn't get her home. She was too ill to fly.

For anyone dealing with the loss of someone I think this old wise man sums it up exceptionally:
http://m.atchuup.com/advice-on-how-to-deal-with-grief/

It's now the early hours of Monday morning and I'm feeling wrecked through lack of sleep as I always find it hard to shut off after a race plus Archie has a cold so I've been up and down all night walking like the Tin Man as my legs are not thanking me for yesterdays race.

Milton Keynes 20 was a really enjoyable race.  The weather was perfect, I didn't feel nervous and ran it at a comfortable heart rate that meant Andy and I could chat throughout the run.  It's a well organised race, with a really flat course other than a very sharp hill in the last mile.  I ran another PB knocking over 3 minutes of my previous 20 mile record which I did while I was in decent fitness for a marathon.  How has pregnancy lead to better running?

I clocked in at 2.18.18 5th lady over all and 1st vet (no prizes for any vets though!).  We ran over the line hand in hand and smiling.  It felt like one of the most relaxed races I have ever done.

My post race recovery wasn't the best, no recovery tights, fueling on pop, chips and a burger and sitting in a car for a couple of hours.  I'm now paying for it but it was worth it.

 
 


Checkout my interview with runningbuggies.com 'A LOVELY NORTHERN LASS WHO IS TRAINING TO BREAK THE HALF MARATHON BUGGY RUNNING WORLD RECORD'
www.runningbuggies.com
Summary of this weeks training:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 2 min, 1 min, 30 seconds x 7 sets at 3k pace
Wednesday: 50 minute buggy run, Pilates
Thursday: 50 minute spin
Friday: 45 minute run with 6 x 30 sec strides
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Milton Keynes 20

This ones for you mum on Mothers Day.  Always in my heart x