This and that....

Well, It has been nearly two weeks since the marathon. My legs have stopped aching and I'm missing the running !

I have still be running but I have kept the miles right down to give my body a chance to recover :)

I am now planning my next goals and the training that I will need to get there....

I am going to carry on running marathons, I know before the last one I said never again but I felt so much stronger this time round and I know I have it in me to improve on my time so I am going to carry on. I think I am lucky that I am able to run. Since the events at the Boston Marathon and the lad that died whilst running Brighton I realise how lucky I am that I am able to run. I may not always be able to.

Because I want to run faster I need to change my training a bit. I got thrown off track a bit last year, we all have things that crop up in our lives that knock us sideways sometimes but it is our own strength that means we can overcome them and carry on.

I have a couple of races booked in over the summer, just shorter 10k's, one on road and one off road and I hope that I will be able to improve my times for these.

The next races that I will be training for will be a 10 mile road run and a half marathon in the Autumn; again I would like to beat my PB for the half marathon.

Beginners Group

The beginners group that I have started with Steyning AC is going from strength to strength with new people joining each week. I must admit that I'm really enjoying running it !

I am booked of a First Aid for Run Leaders course in a few weeks time, hopefully something that I won't need to put in to practice....

I didn't realise how much planning and admin was involved in running the group initially, making sure I have up to date contact details, medical details, next of kin info etc to make sure that my insurance covers me...

In addition to that I need to do a risk assessment before each group session and keep a log of what we planned to do, what we actually did and any other relevant info.

I still love it though and I'm also learning so much more about human biology, physiology and running than I thought possible !

Brighton Marathon 2013

I'm still aching a bit while I type this.... but it was a great day !

After fairly awful weather with strong winds and rain the day before I was a bit nervous about the forecast. When we arrived at Preston Park it was overcast and raining a bit, gradually this stopped but it was still grey.

The first decision of the day was what to wear. This is something that I am quite indecisive over. I get very hot when I run but tend to feel quite cold for the rest of the time. When I get tired I also get cold... It can also be hard to decide what to wear when you know you are going to be out for 5 hours or more, the weather can change quite a bit in that time. Other things I don't like:

1. Running with clothing tied round me
2. Things that "bounce" when I run
3. Carrying more than I need, after all extra weight carried is extra energy used...

I wasn't sure what the wind strength would be on the seafront and if I would be cold in just my charity vest or if I should wear something underneath it. Looking round at the other runners never helps. You will always see people wearing far more or less than you would ever be comfortable with !

In the end I opted for just the charity vest and as it turned out it was the right decision. I do wish I had taken Amy's offer of suncream. When it has only just stopped raining and you are walking through mud to the start it is hard to believe that you will need it... but as it turned out we did and I'm just a bit pink today (the start of a summer tan ??)

Yesterday wasn't about getting a PB. For me it was about running with Holly and crossing the line together. If I'm honest it is far more fun running with someone, you keep each other going and it is someone to chat to on the way round.

I think I managed my water intake a bit better and only had two loo stops. On the first one the queues were so long I did pop in to a field so I apologise to anyone that might have been traumatised by the sight of my bum. The second time I did queue for the portaloos, fields are ok but the middle of a busy street is a step to far for me !

Before my next marathon I will be working on my drink intake, both amount and type, to try and make sure that I can get round without needing to stop. Last year I had to stop 5 times so this was a definite improvement. The advice of hydration has changed during this year. It has gone from making sure that you drink even if you aren't thirsty to drink according to thirst......

This was Holly's first marathon so crossing the line together was important to me. Holly has been asthmatic all her life and her asthma is classed as "chronic". There have been times when she was little and I was sleeping on a chair next to her hospital bed that I just wanted her well. I never thought I would see her grow up and train for and run a marathon so I see this as a massive achievement.

For me I felt far stronger running this marathon than I did last year. I felt as though I could have run faster, even in the last few miles, but I could see in Holly that she was giving it everything and really couldn't up the pace. I also remember how difficult I found the last few miles last year where just putting one foot in front of the other was a massive effort...

A marathon isn't just a race. It is a journey. You learn more about yourself along the way than you think possible. You learn how hard you can push yourself both mentally and physically. You learn that anything is possible if you want it enough.

Sweet dreams are made of these.... (or not in my case !)

I've always had very vivid and at some times quite nasty dreams and I have always wondered how these affect my sleep patterns...

After reading an article on sleep patterns on the BBC website I thought I would monitor my heart rate overnight to see what happens as I dream.

Last night was a fairly "normal" night dream wise for me with some very vivid dreams. It was also another morning when I wake up still feeling tired and not really that rested......

This is the heart rate data (you will need to click on the view details to see it).


I'm going to start using some relaxation techniques before I go to bed and see if it changes my sleeping heart rate pattern... My max heart rate is about 180 so I'm peaking at about half that just while I'm sleeping ! My minimum resting heart rate when I sit somewhere quiet on my own is 48....

I also don't know how accurate the calorie use is but to use 277 calories whilst sleeping isn't too bad :)

Not long now !

It really isn't long now until the Brighton Marathon and I'm staring to feel nervous.

It didn't help that my IT Band problems started to re-appear on my last 14 mile run. Not something that I need at the moment. So far I have done most of my training wearing Brooks Ravenna trainers. I bought them quite cheaply at Christmas at the same time as buying a pair of Brooks GTS 12's.....

Last year I did all my training and ran the whole year in the Brooks GTS 11's. Last year I had real problems with my IT Band, several physio sessions and it was "niggling" for the whole year.

Since Christmas and changing trainers it had gone away. that is until my last 2 long runs when I switched back to the GTS 12's that I had been keeping "fresh" for the marathon.

I'm not sure if this is coincidence but it isn't a chance I want to take so I will be running in the Brooks Ravennas, I think they still have enough life in them, but I have been taking it easy to let my knee stand a bit of a chance.

So, this week I have a todo list :

1. Make sure I stretch EVERY DAY - especially the stretches for my IT Band
2. Iron my name on to my charity shirt
3. Pack bag for Sunday - this year remembering recovery drink  & crisps.
4. Make sure I have some early nights
5. Eat sensibly.

So, I'm not sure if I will update this blog again before Sunday. Wish me luck !

If you want to track my progress on the day you can download the Brighton Marathon App for your iPhone and search for me (Lisa Beaney); you will then be able to see how I get on.

Here's hoping the wind drops and the temperature rises :)

Running around....

Well, I spent last week touring Ireland for work... lots of driving, talking, drinking tea and meeting people.

I did manage to fit in a short run on the outskirts of a very snowy Dublin. One thing I love about running is that I get out and see places that I would never go to otherwise. If I can find a free hour I can go for a run. I used google maps to find a park nearby along the edge of the Liffey, set my alarm for a bit earlier and went for a run...

I must admit that I felt much better for it. It made me realise how much I love just being outside and running. It doesn't matter if it is in the town or the country there is just something lovely about being outside and running.

It is less than two weeks now until the marathon and the nerves are starting to kick in a bit. This one will be quite different form last year, my goal is to finish this marathon with Holly and when you are not going for a personal best it does make you look at it differently. This one is all about having fun and making sure Holly enjoys it. Yes, it will be hard work, we will ache the next day and may have blisters but completing a marathon is one hell of an achievement. Holly is only 21, she has plenty of time ahead of her to improve her time if she wants to or to try other races. If it stays fun then it is worth doing :)

Anyway, these are a couple of the photos that I took on my run in Ireland.