Meet the Wall

I hit the wall this week. I say “hit” the wall but what I actually mean is that I gradually staggered into said wall and pressed my body tightly against it whilst slowly inching my way to the floor silently crying for mercy.

Fifteen miles into my second eighteen mile run in preparation for this London marathon, that haunts me so, I had the compulsion to walk. It must be the first time I’ve ever stopped to walk on a run, when not injured, it just hurt too much, and with that, my mind (damn that grey matter) gave in. Thankfully my defeated spirit cheered a little five minutes later and I rallied myself to carry on and finish the jog at a beleaguered pace.

So there you have it. This week the wall has truely been met and greeted with hopefully no permanent damage done.

On a lighter note Mr Groves is back pretty much into full training and managed to complete sixteen miles, a big well done is in order.

This week I’m resting most of it in readiness for the pinnacle of our training when Ant and I go out for the 20 miler on Easter Sunday.

Sweet times. Less than a month to go!

Topping

Tired now

Me and me big sister, Sarah. (Im the miserable one)






You know things are getting serious when you don’t even have the energy to write a blog about how tired you have become. Due to this lack of energy it would appear I have become as interesting to spend time with as taking a guided tour around a concrete block. A concrete block of uniform size, colour and shape you understand. A concrete block with no distinguishing features. Not an interesting concrete block…. Oh god, I’m even inanely rambling in blog life as well as real life. I’ll stop.


A quick report:

Last Sunday I ran 18 miles, poor Mr Groves still has tendonitis, so I ran the miles alone. It took me an absolutely age. (running through the Heroic and Bronze ages if anyone’s interested).


Having just moved house the day before didn’t help, although, as anyone who is friends with me knows I love the simplicity of shifting “stuff” and I don’t have too many things to move with anyway. However, I did have to grapple with the worlds’ heaviest mini-piano (A truly apt name for it when describing the size of the piano but sadly the same is to be not to be said of the weight of this particular keyboard). I believe comparatively it is as dense as the sun so thanks to everybody who helped me move it.

This week I also ran with music in my ears, well radio four in my ears that is. This had a fantastically hypnotic effect on me and as a result I didn’t feel quite so awful at the end of the run as I normally would do. I did feel, however, a bit dazed with a nagging thought that I might just have been running the whole distance like a chicken or in the style of Winston Churchill leaping over cigar boxes. Curse you radio four! Of course, as a side note, the cold bath was a treat.

This week Ant is trying a special fancy knee support like top tennis star Raffa Nadal uses (oo, Posh). Hopefully this will help considerably to instigate a speedy recovery and lead him on to a 4 sets win against Andy Murray in this years Wimbledon final.

I’ve had me first sports massage. Far less painful than I was expecting but then my muscles do have a fine layer of fat to protect them.

This week holds a 7 mile run on Thursday and another 18 miler on Sunday.

This weeks mantra: Touch my bum, this is life.

Si

Serpico, the running man.

My running beard is now of great quality akin to, and some say(well I do) superior to, the non-running beard of 70's undercover hardcase cop, Serpico. I've got the look down. (Photos to follow over the coming weeks).

Besides that the running was a little slow this week. I was hit by a heavy cold (sniffles galore) on Wednesday night so missed Thursday and Saturday training and deferred to sleeping and over eating to compensate the loss. Was that wrong? I did, however, venture out with Mr Groves for 'The Big One' on Sunday.

Sixteen miles was furthest either me or Ant had ever run and it didn't really go that well. Ant hit a agonising wall of knee pain just over halfway through and now has to consult the physio and I plodded my slow plod to complete the course in just over 3 hours! The tank was definatley empty. Ah, here begins our life for the next six weeks. It will involve alot of pain and alot of miles, oh dear.

Interestingly I had my first cold bath after the run to repair my aching bones. I sat in my self-imposed freezing tub supping a coffee feeling both highly exhillerated and mildly depressed. Having bathed for 10 minutes I do think the cold had some recouperative power as today my joints are only mildly aching and I'm actually ready for more. My brain forgets quickly.

This week: Gym, spin, 7 miles and a half marathon.

This weeks mantra: A cold bath is a happy bath.

Till later.

Si x

Half way

Halfway through now and to be honest I’m feeling pretty good. I did the Sussex Beacon half marathon last week and despite the mind numbingly boring route, driving rain and pile up at the finish line I completed it in 2 hours 6 minutes and actually felt okay when I finished it.

You can see a couple of pictures of me doing the race at:

http://www.sportcam.net/

Just search for Sussex Beacon half marathon 2010, and surname search Topping but I’ll be damned if I’m paying £12 to download it!

There are more photos on the wonderful 42 run web page. (As Above) http://42run.com/

Here is where the hard work starts. We’ve got runs of 14, 16 and 18 miles coming up over the next four weeks and a 20 miler on Easter Sunday, of all times. I rather be attempting to get through a large mountain of Easter eggs instead of the miles but there you go.

8 weeks training complete.
0ver 20 miles run this week.
One slightly ailing back.
One sports massage to come.

Sweet!