1 Week To Go...

...until I run the Cardiff half marathon!

Up until a month ago I was quietly confident about my run. I had already completed a 13.1 mile long run so knew I could do the distance and was more excited than anxious about the race. Then the car accident happened and I ended up with whiplash so bang went my training plan.

I had a week off running then did a few short runs the following week and I managed an 11 mile run on the Saturday. Then I caught a cold and it knocked me on my arse.

I hurt all over, my nose was running like a tap, my sinus' throbbed and my eyes watered constantly. I managed to get through most of the working week but couldn't quite make it and worked from home on Friday. I'd already had a few days off sick because of the whiplash and didn't want to take more time off.

So to get me back into it I'm planning 3 short runs this week and then no running on Saturday. This is what's on my training plan so at least I might feel back in control of it again. I hope so anyway. I want to enjoy the run. I want to get excited this week but I can't help but feel panicked and anxious. Hopefully tomorrow's short run will get me back on track and settle some of the nerves.

So if you're in Cardiff on Sunday 4th October and you see people running around with a number pinned to their chest, give them a cheery shout or a wave. If one of those runners is wearing a Pegasus top then give us a "looking strong Pegasus". Feel free to also throw us jelly beans, jelly babies, haribo or some sort of little sugary treat cos we'll probably need it. If you're a bit arty then bring down a sign so you don't have to keep shouting.

My favourite sign so far

Us runners love it when complete strangers cheer us on, it makes us feel connected and as though anything is possible.

Running is very similar to the British weather!

On Saturday I did my last long run before the Cardiff Half Marathon... oh wait, did I mention that I'm running a half marathon? In Cardiff?

Maybe once or twice then

It was my first long run since my car accident where I ended up with whiplash. I'd taken 3 days off work and a week off running as I was so uncomfortable and achey. The week leading up to last Saturday I had done 3 very small runs just to ease back into and for some unknown reason I had decided to go ahead with my long run.

My feelings exactly!

I was very sensible(ish) and drove to Roath Park then parked my car leaving it with fresh water and jelly beans. My route was planned to allow a refuel break at the car at mile 8. I had also decided that if I didn't want to run any more then I would jump in the car and go home. If I was ok to run more than I had another 3 mile route planned.

A lot of things go through my mind when I'm running, most of it is drivel but sometime it makes sense. During this run I decided that it was very similar to the British weather. One day it's glorious sunshine then by the afternoon it's peeing it down, freezing and you're soaked to the skin. After a few minutes/hours it's sunshine and birds singing again!

So this was my run...

Mile 1 = Oooooo this feels good, I'm liking this run today already.

End of mile 1 = Oh balls, that was too quick. Must remember to make sure Katie paces the start of the half marathon, she's more sensible than me.

Mile 2 = La la la laaaaaaaaaaaaa... *nearly starts skipping*

Mile 3 = Hmmmm this is feeling a bit tougher now. I feel like I've been running for at least 6 miles so I must be over halfway! *glances at Garmin* WTF my Garmin is broken! There is no way this is only mile 3 *looks around to compare with map imprinted on mind so I don't get 'diverted' again* oh crap this is only mile 3!

Mile 4 = Must keep going, I'll stop at that big roundabout thingy for a refuel. Must keep going. Legs why have you stopped running? Start running again now! OK, so I'm running again. This hurts.

Mile 4.5 = I'll just run down this underpass thingy and hope I don't get raped and murdered. Oh good, more runners so it's a lot less likely that I'll be killed... although the run would then be over! Better refuel quickly.

Mile 5 = Pretty sure I've got a blister starting... apart from that this run isn't going tooooooooo badly. I've probably had worse and it's not worse that the Brecon 10. Right, focus on something motivational... what can I have to eat tonight? I'll have burnt off about a million calories after this run. How many squares of chocolate can I shove in my mouth at once. Must remember to test that out one day.

Mile 6 = Oh crap I just swallowed a fly again! Actually a bit of protein won't kill me right now. I'm starting to enjoy this run again, whodafunkit?!

Mile 7 = I'm stopping at my car... this is horrible... I can't go any further... this run sucks... I hate running... running is the worse thing ever... why oh why did I decide to become a runner?

Mile 8 = Hello car, I love you! *eats jelly beans and has fresh water* You know what, I think I can do that extra 3 miles

Mile 9 = WTF was I thinking? When will this f*cking run end. I hurt. I really hurt. I want it to be over. Please be over soon. Why oh why didn't I stop at my car and just go home??!!

Mile 10 = Come on mile 10... be over mile 10... it's been ages since my Garmin beeped to say I was starting mile 10... I'll just have a cheeky glance at it to make sure it hasn't stopped. What do you mean 10.25??!! I'm sure I haven't checked you for at least 10 minutes. Are you broken? You seem to be working. Damn it! I deserve to bathe in Ben & Jerry's after this god damn awful run.

Mile 11 = Finally it's over! Don't cry... don't cry... the car is just over there... don't cry... don't cry.


I finally got into my car and didn't cry, I laughed in a I'm-in-pain sort of way. That run was tough in places but I know I'm half marathon ready now and will hopefully enjoy the race a lot more after putting in so much training.

Yeah it is!!