Tough Love

I really don’t mind training alone. In fact sometimes getting up at 5am and running for an hour or so is a great way to clear my mind. Then again on other days it is a real effort to even get out the door and take those first few paces. Part of me enjoys running but part of me hates the routine and the seemingly endless long training runs. Training alone needs dedication and singlemindedness which I am pleased to say I have in abundance.

Running a marathon is notoriously hard but it must be said that the training is even harder. I run between 30 and 40 miles a week, running 4 days out of 7 which is tough. I am conscious however that in order to improve, this is not nearly enough. Not only is the frequency of the running hard but to best equip yourself for a marathon you need to build stamina as well, which comes only from increased mileage. I train roughly 16 weeks for each marathon slowly building my long runs each week up from 6 to 18 miles. I never run further than 18 miles in one stretch because in truth if you can run 18 miles then I believe you can complete a marathon. The hardest part is improving and finding the time to increase the distance and frequency of training. I am a dedicated trainer but also easily sidetracked so keeping on target is a constant battle. Some days when the wind is blowing and the rain is howling it is easier to take the easy option and stay at home. I have been very guilty this year of avoiding runs which does me no favours so at times I really need to revisit why I am running and put my mind in focus.

I am not a natural runner so training has always been tough. At school I was a talented rugby player, playing for my County and ultimately as a trialist for England Schoolboys. I was fit and fast then but anything over the length of a rugby pitch was painful. Today I run like a rugby player but without the exuberance of youth. I am slow which means I spend longer on my runs and consequently put more strain on my body. I am physically fit and close to the fittest I have ever been but that comes at a price. My legs and feet are sore from the impact of running and generally I ache all over. So why do I run? Despite the pain and soreness I feel great and love getting out in the open air. I have never seriously run on a treadmill and prefer the feel of the wind (and rain) in my hair. I enjoy running and the health benefits I feel in better breathing, heart rate and stamina make me feel like it is all worth it. I miss playing rugby and football so somehow running gives me that same sort of buzz even if I am not going to be challenging for any trophies.

Unlike more gifted runners I have had to accept that at 46 I am never going to be a great runner but at least I can be a more polished one. I am working on my technique and pace, so hopefully I will improve my times too.  Running for charity is a real motivator and without this I would have given up months ago. I have been running now for  just over a year and have completed 3 marathons in that time. The experience of running for my two charities; Cancer Research UK and The Bobby Moore Fund has made me stronger and helped me come to terms with the loss of my Mum. Cancer is hard for everyone concerned and for me this is my way of working through my grief and also my way of giving something back.

In 2012 and 2013 I intend to run a total of 25 Marathons which will really push me to the limit. My reasoning is that I am already doing the miles in training so it seems right to incorporate the marathons as part of my regime then hopefully through the scale of my challenge raise more funds and awareness for my cancer charities. As my Mum finally lost her fight to Breast Cancer I am planning to run for Breakthrough Breast Cancer in 2012 as well as Cancer Research UK and The Bobby Moore Fund my chosen charities this year. My mum suffered and beat Bowel Cancer which is why I run for The Bobby Moore Fund and now running for Breakthrough Breast Cancer seems to be the perfect choice for me. All these charities have given me so much support and made me feel part of a very special team.

As part of my commitment to them I will be doing some volunteering work offering my time and experience whenever I can. This will start at the Shine Night walk in London in October where I will be marshalling and offering assistance to the walkers as they raise money for Cancer Research. I am hoping that this will put me in touch with more people and give my runs a greater meaning and give me more encouragement to train and to complete my challenge.

My next marathon is only a few weeks away on the 11^th September in Nottingham for The Robin Hood Marathon. Once again this will be hard but I am looking forward to running and hopefully completing another part of my challenge. I have been lucky enough to receive a lot of media coverage which has helped enormously. I have done several articles, radio interviews and have even had interest from regional and national TV which I hope may materialize over the coming months. My sponsorship and messages of support have been overwhelming and I am indebted to everyone for giving me the encouragement to carry on.

The road is long and tough but your support makes the tough times so much easier. Thank you.