Lazy blogger

Yes, I am a lazy blogger...tee hee.
So, how's it going post marathon then? Well, amazingly enough I am not feeling too tired and heavy legged (one week after the marathon I even managed the Flitwick 10k and a 13 mile cycle with fellow marathon blogger CMJ) and I've been training a couple of times. Probably time to get properly back into it though.
I had loads of good and virtuous plans for running at the weekend, I managed a lovely run on Saturday morning around the Mulligatawny course with my fellow NHRR-ites but sadly that was the end of my good running plans at the weekend as I joined the aforementioned NHRR-ites for a charity pub crawl on Saturday night. On the plus side we raised £100 for Roger's charity, I CAN. Also on the plus side I had a lovely evening. On the minus side I felt somewhat rough for a large part of Sunday. Silly girl, at my age I really should know better!

SMARTer goals

In my previous post, I alluded to my goals for the next few months. Well, in order to acheive them they need to be more SMART. So, here goes:

1. Improve my 10k time by 5 minutes before the end of the summer season (let's say end of July). So let's start from my Flitwick 10k time of 58:57 and get it down to under 54 minutes. %-wise that means going from 50.74% to 55.45% (according to this age grading website)

2. In the New York marathon, (November 2nd) run sub 4:30. Ideally I'd be sub 4:20 but let's see how it goes and amend nearer the time!

3. By my sister's wedding (15 August) be more slim :-). I'm not going to reveal where I am starting from but:
3a x-10% by 22 June (that's 10 weeks after London marathon)
3b x-20% by 15 August

So, what next?

It's one week since the London Marathon and I've already moved on! It's amazing how you can spend all that time training for something and then just leave it behind like a peice of rubbish...
My legs were super sore until Thursday but otherwise I felt fine, not too tired at all which was a relief. On Thursday I started back at the gym and went for a 5 mile run and I felt fine and today I ran the Flitwick 10k. Not a great time (58:57) but I was very pleased with how I felt on the way round which is good.
So, what next? Well, this blog was ambiguously named so it can be a blog about training for a marathon or just a blog of marathon proportions. I think I will choose the latter, writing the blog does appear to have shamed me into some training...
And as far as running is concerned, Chris P hit the nail on the head with his comment about my training:
"Having followed your blog that was an amazing time of the back of that training. There is natural talent in there somewhere. Time you set yourself a single aim and targeted it and tried to stick with it.
It could be just to increase your age graded 10K result by a certain amount. Are you doing New York ?"

So that's it, to improve on my 10k % (well, basically my time) until July/August when I will start thinking about New York Marathon. Also, my sister is getting married in August and I'd like to be...erm...more slim by then. More over, more slim usually means more fast so let's give it a go!

The day after...

So, how does it feel the day after running a marathon?
First, I find I don't sleep that well despite being really tired! I think it is a combination of adrenalin and my body complaining a lot at being pushed so hard. So today I feel a bit out of it.
The next thing is the legs. My quads are very sore, in fact they are painful to touch. I'm also pretty sore around my knees. I am staggering around the office like an old woman and walking downstairs is tricky. I feel a little like my legs will give in and collapse so I have been clinging to the handrail to make sure I don't tumble head first down the stairs. The biggest challenge I have had so far today is the stairs at Hitchin station when tryng to carry my folding bike...it was almost very nasty!
Finally, the chaffing. Yes, not a nice subject but 26.2 miles of running after being very drenched/attached by hailstones does have some unfortunate side effects. I found that my running top rubbed badly on my shoulders (that's never happened before) which was very painful as I got in the shower yesterday. Today these areas are very tender (aw, poor me!)

Otherwise, I feel fine! I managed my usual cycle to work with nowhere to sit on the train and I am currently wasting time writing this instead of working...my colleagues aren't very taken by all things marathon which is a bit disappointing but never mind!

I did it!

I finished in 4:43:46, here are my splits.
Initial thoughts:

I did what I wanted to which was to beat last year's Rome time of somewhere in the region of 4:55ish (I can't find out the exact time as I didn't write it down and the Rome Marathon website won't tell me)!

I did walk a little bit, mainly around water stations but nothing like the way I've had to walk in past marathons. I actually felt like I could keep running which is pretty rare for me

I slowed down in the second half of the race but it wasn't as bad as other races

I very much enjoyed it despite the driving rain and hailstones at times!

NHRR are good at supporting (so far I think NHRR are good at running, making food, eating and supporting!)

So basically I am pretty chuffed...and tired so I am off to clean up and rest now!

Update on this week's tasks

Pick up my marathon number Done! (very speedily too, I was only in there for about 15 minutes and most of that was trying to find the exit!)

Drink loads of water debatable...

Go to bed nice and early also debatable, mind you it's only 23:20 now

Don't get too stressed and busy at work Yay, managed this and long may it continue!

Don't get sick! I am a bit bunged up...fingers crossed

Check what time the race starts (yes, at the moment I don't actually know!) 9:45

Buy some Percy Pigs done

Obsessively check the weather forecast but of course...

Pre marathon dream

I thought I wasn't too nervous but maybe I am more nervous that I thought. Last night I dreamt that Gary and I stayed over in a hotel before the marathon (which is what we are doing!) and when I got my kitout in the morning I had Gary's running socks with me. Except in my dream his socks were enormous! Needless to say it was all very stressful sorting out the large sock problem, I ended up cutting them in half or something daft like that!

I'm loosing it...