Brighton Marathon Data

Well, here it is... my Garmin data for the marathon....

If you click on the "view details" you will be able to see my mile splits, no prizes for guessing when I stopped for the loo !

26.2 miles of fun !

Well, I did it ! I completed the Brighton Marathon in 5:10 :) if I hadn't stopped for the loo 4 times on the way round my time would have been 4:50 (I'll post the Garmin data later) but a mix of nerves and drinking too much early on meant I really needed to stop !

I have to say I loved every minute of it, I think I was smiling like a Cheshire cat for most of the way, right up until the last few hundred yards when I realised I was actually about to complete my first marathon and I burst in to tears and crossed the finishing line with tears running down my face.

My knee started hurting at about mile 18 but somehow it didn't matter, it was hard work at times to keep going but the crowds shouting my name made such a difference, it was as though they had all come out to support me :) putting my name on my shirt really did help !

Anyway, this is a photo of my medal :) I will post more details of the race and more photos later...




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Eat, Breathe & Dream Marathon

With only a few days to go now this marathon seems to be taking over my life.

I'm looking at weather forecasts trying to work out quite how warm it will be and what I should wear...

I'm looking at the route map visualising the route and landmarks....

I'm thinking about each meal in terms of carbohydrate intake...

I'm looking at each person I meet with a cold thinking please don't give it to me !

I'm thinking about the timings on the day, how long I need to leave to get to the start, how long it will take me to run it, how long the queues for the toilets might be...

I'm feeling each tiny niggle in my legs praying it doesn't develop in to anything...

I'm avoiding alcohol (but would really love a glass !)

I'm wondering if I can really do this.....

Still running...

It has been a bit of a strange week in many ways; with the news last weekend of the death of Micah True, a really inspirational person that really did take everyone by surprise. I still don't know how he died but he did die doing something that he loved, running.

I'm heading back to the physio on Friday for some more treatment on my knee, I've been busy massaging it at home with Phills electric sander, hopefully this has been working but we will see what the verdict is on Friday.

Anyway, this time next week I will be knackered and nearing the end of the marathon... I still can't believe how fast the last few weeks have gone, during this next week I will be hardly running at all, just resting and making sure I reach the start line in the best condition I can....

This photo is from this mornings run, one of my favourite routes :)

When not to run

1. When you have a hangover

I know it sounds obvious really, but I have tried it and it really isn't a pretty sight. One particular New Years Day run springs to mind...... On a more serious note you will most probably be dehydrated from the alcohol before you start as well as tired, possibly with a very "uncertain" stomach and a headache... Start running and you may very well wish you hadn't.

2. On a rest day

I know the temptation, a lovely day, you feel great and someone says why don't you come out for a run ? The danger is that you don't replace your rest day.... And before you know it you are running 7 days a week without a break.

Your body NEEDS time to rest, recover and repair between runs, if you don't do this then you may it hurt yourself this week or next week but gradually you will find those niggles don't go away and before you know it you have developed an overuse injury...

3. When something hurts

If it hurts, stop running. I don't mean the normal aching muscle feeling, but when something starts hurting that doesn't normally ache, or if an ache starts turning in to a pain then stop ! If you don't stop then you may not just miss one or two runs but potentially months of running...

Go and see your doctor or a sports physio and take their advice. If they tell you to take a break from running then do so; they may tell you that it is ok to continue if you can put up with it hurting but pain is your bodies way of letting you know something is wrong. Don't ignore it..... What starts as a strain/pain can end up as a stress fracture that will take months to heal. If you even suspect a fracture don't run on it !

PS I'm not a doctor, or medically qualified, always seek a professional opinion rather than just what you read on the Internet or what your mates say :)

I'm sure there are other times when you shouldn't run..... But these are my top 3


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Running Style

As part of me trying to "fix" me and make sure the ITB problems with my knee don't come back Phill filmed me running to see what my foot strike looks like. We have a very high frame rate camera that we use for work so he used this to film me....


Slow motion running from Lisa Beaney on Vimeo.

It was very interesting showing this film to a few different people and the different conclusions... However, the physio says that looking at this, and from what he has found, that the problem is with one hip and the way that I have been sitting for the last few years. He is confident that he can sort this all out for me and that IF if do what he says then the problems are very unlikely to re-occur.

I also had a good chat with him about barefoot running, something that I have been quite keen on trying. His advice to me is don't. With my bone and muscle structure he said all I will do is damage my cartilage and that I NEED cushioning in my trainers if I am going to continue distance running.

I must admit it has been very enlightening talking to him about my running and the various minor niggles I have had, it looks as though they all have a common cause, but, luckily for me, it is all "fixable".

National Lottery Olympic Park Run

Yesterday I was lucky enough to spend the day at the Olympic Stadium with Holly & Dorian. Holly was one of the lucky 5,000 to take part in a 5 mile run round the Olympic Park and be one of the first to cross the finishing line in the Olympic Stadium.

After all the wonderful sunshine we had during the week it was decidedly cool, overcast and windy but that didn't dampen anyones enthusiasm.

This is most probably the only chance I will get to go to the Olympic Stadium, I don't have tickets for any of the events and if it ends up as a football stadium I doubt I will ever go there !

The Stadium has an 80,000 capacity; yesterday there were 15,000 people there.... it was quite a queue to get in and go through the airport style security. We were all sent a long list of things that we couldn't take with us... or wear.. including anything that made a political statement. This does make me wonder what sort of country we are living in; this is the sort of level of control and censorship that we would have said was unacceptable in communist China, but it is here, now, in the UK...

I think it s fair to say that there is still a fair amount of building work to finish, I guess being late with this project is not an option !

Due to all the security controls and restrictions I only took my handbag camera with me; these are just a couple of the photographs that I took, I still need to look through the rest and also the video !

It was a fantastic atmosphere and lots of the runners were stopping to take photos or holding their cameras out to film themselves running !