Don't know what's wrong with me.....I really have got that spring in my step.....
Tracey & I walked the same 6 miles again tonight in 1 hour 6 minutes & I felt like I was walking on air....it was really fantastic!
We set off an hour later than normal & I think this was a really good idea as the weather was a bit cooler although still pleasant & we must remember that we will be walking overnight when the temperature will be very different.
I am looking forward to the walk soooo much but do have a few worries apart from the fact that it's 26.2 miles......
A previous moonwalker has told us that one of her biggest problems was lack of sleep & that it was in the middle of the night that her body hit the "lack of sleep" wall & felt like it would just stop......do you know, I hadn't even thought about that. Fingers crossed then, guess it's just another challenge to get through. I'm not going to stay up all night in preparation though! Perhaps remembering the fantastic nights I have had in Prague where I haven't got to bed until 7am (YES, it's true!!) will help! I survived my last 3 night visit to Prague with just over 14 hours sleep (one of which was an afternoon nap!) but of course alcohol played a part in that & not walking 26.2 miles!!
Tracey's brother has run the London marathon before & says that no amount of training can prepare you for the last 6.2 miles & that these can feel like another 20 miles.....oh!! We know that the last few miles will be probably be the biggest hurdle as we just don't know how our bodies will react, a very scary thought. That will be when we will need the biggest support & hopefully when there will be lots of people to cheer us on. So, if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night......send me a text, it could do me the world of good!!
Only one more 6 miler to do & then it's just 3 miles on Tuesday (in our bras!!) & Thursday. Can you believe it, only nine days to go........
XX
ps. HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow to the lovely Mrs G....40 years old (39 + 1)
pps. 4 weeks today, Costa del Sol, here we come...!!
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Bouncing along nicely......
After our mammoth challenge on Sunday, our mini challenge tonight was to walk 5 miles in less than an hour.....never done by me before but a few times by personal trainer! In fact, our remaining training walks are just 3 & 5 miles, all to be walked speedily......
Unfortunately, I haven't felt well for a couple of days & in fact, hadn't eaten today at all as I had felt a bit sick, think I may have picked up bit of a bug. No fuel for me then. But, I was still looking forward to the walk.....
We actually haven't walked just a 5 mile one before so we decided to do 6, purely because we have a choice of routes to do. No High Road for us though, I think we have had enough of that one!
I really enjoyed the walk, it was great & I had a big spring in my step. We walked the 5 in 56 minutes & the 6 in just 1 hour 7 minutes....we normally do 6 in about 1hour 20, so we really did walk faster. The route was easier though, no hills & nice & straight.
We met the Felixstowe runners on the final mile & many of them said "well done" or "good luck" as we passed each other, it was lovely & I just kept saying "aaahh isn't that lovely".....oh dear, I can see that I will get emotional on the big night if people encourage us along the way.
I know that I am going to find the whole day very emotional anyway & just have to go with the flow of my emotions. We have trained so hard for this & it means so much to us all.
I have thought about so many things over the past few months, not least the approaching tenth anniversary of discovering I had breast cancer, which in itself is bringing so many emotions to the surface.....best take lots of tissues & avoid mascara.....I don't want that wonderful moment of crossing the line immortalised in a photo of me with mascara streaks down my face!! However......don't laugh, but lippy IS going in my arse bag just for that very reason...that very special photo!!
XX
Unfortunately, I haven't felt well for a couple of days & in fact, hadn't eaten today at all as I had felt a bit sick, think I may have picked up bit of a bug. No fuel for me then. But, I was still looking forward to the walk.....
We actually haven't walked just a 5 mile one before so we decided to do 6, purely because we have a choice of routes to do. No High Road for us though, I think we have had enough of that one!
I really enjoyed the walk, it was great & I had a big spring in my step. We walked the 5 in 56 minutes & the 6 in just 1 hour 7 minutes....we normally do 6 in about 1hour 20, so we really did walk faster. The route was easier though, no hills & nice & straight.
We met the Felixstowe runners on the final mile & many of them said "well done" or "good luck" as we passed each other, it was lovely & I just kept saying "aaahh isn't that lovely".....oh dear, I can see that I will get emotional on the big night if people encourage us along the way.
I know that I am going to find the whole day very emotional anyway & just have to go with the flow of my emotions. We have trained so hard for this & it means so much to us all.
I have thought about so many things over the past few months, not least the approaching tenth anniversary of discovering I had breast cancer, which in itself is bringing so many emotions to the surface.....best take lots of tissues & avoid mascara.....I don't want that wonderful moment of crossing the line immortalised in a photo of me with mascara streaks down my face!! However......don't laugh, but lippy IS going in my arse bag just for that very reason...that very special photo!!
XX
Monday, 5 May 2008
Aftermath.....
Well, I am tired..............really tired.
My feet really do ache & I also have a couple of blisters, not too bad though & at least I only have short miles from now on so they should recover quickly. I wish I could wear my slippers to work rather than heels but don't think it would be a good look! My legs are fine though which I am surprised about.......obviously the training has all been worth it.
I am sooo glad that today was a Bank Holiday as the extra day to recover has been great. I can't remember the last time I felt so tired.
Only 12 days to go.........we have overcome the physical battle, hard as it has been, & now it's just (the really important bit!) the mental battle, believing that we CAN do this. I know that I can get through the physical, I have hit that pain barrier so many times now & managed to carry on. I really just need to keep my mind focused & keep being positive & it will be ok.....any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated...please!!
I'm now off to soak my poor feet in luxurious oils...........
XX
My feet really do ache & I also have a couple of blisters, not too bad though & at least I only have short miles from now on so they should recover quickly. I wish I could wear my slippers to work rather than heels but don't think it would be a good look! My legs are fine though which I am surprised about.......obviously the training has all been worth it.
I am sooo glad that today was a Bank Holiday as the extra day to recover has been great. I can't remember the last time I felt so tired.
Only 12 days to go.........we have overcome the physical battle, hard as it has been, & now it's just (the really important bit!) the mental battle, believing that we CAN do this. I know that I can get through the physical, I have hit that pain barrier so many times now & managed to carry on. I really just need to keep my mind focused & keep being positive & it will be ok.....any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated...please!!
I'm now off to soak my poor feet in luxurious oils...........
XX
Sunday, 4 May 2008
The big one.....
How glad am I that this is over.................
Tracey & I started our 20 miles just after 6.30 this morning &, lucky for us, it was mild & dry. Our first two miles were a bit slow.....my old banger legs again! But, we soon made it up during our third mile. Off came my jacket as the temperature was now rising fast.
It's funny that we won't be walking this route & other long evening ones anymore.......we have got used to seeing the same things over the past few weeks, some quirky such as a couple sitting in their camper van in their front garden drinking wine (yes, it's true!), changes in the gardens we pass & even the same people on some routes!
The walk was going really well, my legs weren't causing me too much trouble & I avoided thinking about the huge distance we were facing, choosing instead to just take each mile as it came.
We were soon walking along the High Road & I strode through that awful twelfth mile, not completely ok, but better than normal. It was really very warm & sunny now, a refreshing change for us. However, it was during the fifteenth mile that my legs suddenly ached, more than last week as well. I felt quite low & with still over five to go, my legs felt like lead. I just had to keep going though, stopping, even just to stretch is not an option as I would worry that I wouldn't get going again!
I had to dig really deep, which is something I haven't had to do for a while. I started thinking about those reasons for doing this again. I also remembered my son saying to me yesterday how proud of me he was....little things that keep me going. So, I set myself little targets to help...get to the bridge, get to the church, get to the traffic lights.....take each mile as it comes.....
Tracey has since told me that she was quite worried about me at this point as the colour had drained from my face....
At the 17th mile we carried on instead of turning for home & walked along the cliff top. This turned out to be a bit of a blessing for me.......it was soooo peaceful with just the sound of the sea & only the occasional car passing us......I felt so much better & although there were still almost three miles to go, I knew I could do it. When we reached the 18th, I got that spring in my step again, it seems unbelievable to say this after walking 18 miles!!
It felt fantastic to walk those last two miles knowing what we were achieving, getting through the hard times & getting home!
We walked the last two miles in 25 minutes...faster than we had walked the first two miles earlier!! I couldn't believe that. Tracey's hubby & children were waiting for us at the end of their road & their welcome was very much appreciated! I even raced Tracey home!! Amazing after 20 miles!
However, more amazing to me was the fact that we had walked the 20 miles in 4 hours 13 minutes.......what an achievement, especially after my struggles of the day.
I do ache now & am very tired, but know that I can cross that finishing line in under two weeks time & feel fantastic.......
XX
Tracey & I started our 20 miles just after 6.30 this morning &, lucky for us, it was mild & dry. Our first two miles were a bit slow.....my old banger legs again! But, we soon made it up during our third mile. Off came my jacket as the temperature was now rising fast.
It's funny that we won't be walking this route & other long evening ones anymore.......we have got used to seeing the same things over the past few weeks, some quirky such as a couple sitting in their camper van in their front garden drinking wine (yes, it's true!), changes in the gardens we pass & even the same people on some routes!
The walk was going really well, my legs weren't causing me too much trouble & I avoided thinking about the huge distance we were facing, choosing instead to just take each mile as it came.
We were soon walking along the High Road & I strode through that awful twelfth mile, not completely ok, but better than normal. It was really very warm & sunny now, a refreshing change for us. However, it was during the fifteenth mile that my legs suddenly ached, more than last week as well. I felt quite low & with still over five to go, my legs felt like lead. I just had to keep going though, stopping, even just to stretch is not an option as I would worry that I wouldn't get going again!
I had to dig really deep, which is something I haven't had to do for a while. I started thinking about those reasons for doing this again. I also remembered my son saying to me yesterday how proud of me he was....little things that keep me going. So, I set myself little targets to help...get to the bridge, get to the church, get to the traffic lights.....take each mile as it comes.....
Tracey has since told me that she was quite worried about me at this point as the colour had drained from my face....
At the 17th mile we carried on instead of turning for home & walked along the cliff top. This turned out to be a bit of a blessing for me.......it was soooo peaceful with just the sound of the sea & only the occasional car passing us......I felt so much better & although there were still almost three miles to go, I knew I could do it. When we reached the 18th, I got that spring in my step again, it seems unbelievable to say this after walking 18 miles!!
It felt fantastic to walk those last two miles knowing what we were achieving, getting through the hard times & getting home!
We walked the last two miles in 25 minutes...faster than we had walked the first two miles earlier!! I couldn't believe that. Tracey's hubby & children were waiting for us at the end of their road & their welcome was very much appreciated! I even raced Tracey home!! Amazing after 20 miles!
However, more amazing to me was the fact that we had walked the 20 miles in 4 hours 13 minutes.......what an achievement, especially after my struggles of the day.
I do ache now & am very tired, but know that I can cross that finishing line in under two weeks time & feel fantastic.......
XX
Friday, 2 May 2008
Pause for thought
Please think about this for a moment.........
I heard this the other day & it shocked me so much......
Think about these women, their families & friends......
About 44000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
That's about 120 a day........
About 13000 women DIE every year from breast cancer.
That's about 35 a day........
Enough said.
I heard this the other day & it shocked me so much......
Think about these women, their families & friends......
About 44000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
That's about 120 a day........
About 13000 women DIE every year from breast cancer.
That's about 35 a day........
Enough said.
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Take the weight off your chest love.......
What a difference 48 hours makes.........
Our 8 mile walk tonight was in evening sunshine, warm & DRY!!!!!!! It was lovely & I really enjoyed it.
Mind you, I had had an awful day at work & for the first time ever had thrown a hormonal hissy fit ..........ooops. I felt so crap that I decided I was in need of a treat, I resisted the urge to buy Galaxy or even go for a Guinness......so bought a couple of bread & butter puddings, but, not just any bread & butter pudding....M & S bread & butter puddings!!!!! I had my savoury rice mid afternoon & then thought I'd have one of the puddings, but then thought sod it, have them both...a bit of comfort food & fuel as well....yummy! Felt much better after that.
So I was really looking forward to getting out in the fresh air & blowing the cobwebs & stresses of the day away. Maybe that's why I enjoyed the walk so much as well.
Sunday will be the last time we will walk the High Road & also the longest distance we will train as the final walks are only 5 & 3 mile ones.....I still can't believe we are so close to the big night & we can now say it's "this month"...............
Tracey & I were also discussing when we will walk in our actual bras......just in them, no t-shirt on! Luckily it will only be a 3 mile walk so we won't shock the people of Felixstowe too much!
XX
ps. Why this title for the blog......well let's just say that I felt I had a bit of an unfair disadvantage tonight & felt a bit too weighed down...lots of movement going on...no black eyes though...!!!!!!
Our 8 mile walk tonight was in evening sunshine, warm & DRY!!!!!!! It was lovely & I really enjoyed it.
Mind you, I had had an awful day at work & for the first time ever had thrown a hormonal hissy fit ..........ooops. I felt so crap that I decided I was in need of a treat, I resisted the urge to buy Galaxy or even go for a Guinness......so bought a couple of bread & butter puddings, but, not just any bread & butter pudding....M & S bread & butter puddings!!!!! I had my savoury rice mid afternoon & then thought I'd have one of the puddings, but then thought sod it, have them both...a bit of comfort food & fuel as well....yummy! Felt much better after that.
So I was really looking forward to getting out in the fresh air & blowing the cobwebs & stresses of the day away. Maybe that's why I enjoyed the walk so much as well.
Sunday will be the last time we will walk the High Road & also the longest distance we will train as the final walks are only 5 & 3 mile ones.....I still can't believe we are so close to the big night & we can now say it's "this month"...............
Tracey & I were also discussing when we will walk in our actual bras......just in them, no t-shirt on! Luckily it will only be a 3 mile walk so we won't shock the people of Felixstowe too much!
XX
ps. Why this title for the blog......well let's just say that I felt I had a bit of an unfair disadvantage tonight & felt a bit too weighed down...lots of movement going on...no black eyes though...!!!!!!
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