Marathon Bloggers: Lorna, 2 weeks to go!

She’s tired, aching and craving sugar but she’s also super-excited because there are only two weeks to go till Lorna’s first marathon!

Name: Lorna Mann
Age: 29
Marathon history: First marathon – London 2013
Goal: to finish in one piece!

What I learnt this week.  Stress at work and marathon training do.not.mix. I was arrogant enough to think I could coast into the last three weeks of marathon training combined with some big pressures at work… no no… something had to take a back seat…. training did.

I ran 20 miles last week, completely alone and loved every step I took. I trained with James on Tuesday and although a little tired I thought I did ok with our upper body programme. And then it hit me. I was in the throngs of a huge week at work and despite the best of my positive attitudes cracks in my training started to show. I wasn’t going to get wound up that my two runs last week were slower than usual – I was aware I was under pressure and was totally fine just getting the distance in my legs. I also tried my hardest not to beat myself up when my arms were just that little bit more tired in the gym – again… tired, stressed, nervous. But when you just can’t move a muscle to do something as simple as stretch, give in to the deafening sugar cravings in your head and just sit on your arse worrying about something too late to worry about (Yes, I WILL run this marathon) that’s when you need to slap yourself in the face. So I did.

This isn’t what I’d call a bad week – just a frustrating one. I wish I was full of the joys of the non-existent spring and wish I had been strong enough to do my two rounds in the gym… but I wasn’t. Did I need a glass of hot chocolate each night and the delicious slice of banoffee cheesecake with salted caramel ice cream (that was just a one off, not nightly…promise) – No, but I had them, and enjoyed them. I also enjoyed the four glasses of red wine. Whoops. In the past seven months of training this was my worst week yet – I fell off the wagon so hard I have bruises inside and out.

I needed to get out of the rut I was in because race day is so so so near. With this in mind I gave into one last urge – to sleep – and sleep I did…. for hours. I spent more of the weekend with eyes shut than open. In the small amount of time my eyes were open I achieved two things – I treated myself to a little new kit (yes, really) and ran 20km.

That 20km was harder than the 20miles of last week. The weather was beautiful, I ran along the Thames, I was kinda rested but it just didn’t want to go my way. My right calf muscle was like a rock, my right knee was in screaming pain, my left ankle decided it wanted in on the pain and decided to make me all the more aware of it, and we don’t even need to discuss the state of my hips. OUCH. All of this just proved that that’s the price I pay for falling so naughtily off the wagon. Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t catastrophic – nothing really really bad happened but it isn’t how I want to go into my first marathon. I want to be primed, prepped and proud… so I’ve reminded myself of my ‘rules’ (see ‘8 weeks to go’) and pledged to sleep sleep sleep, eat clean, stretch daily and do as I’m told (by Personal Trainer James). No whinging, no pining after food I’m not allowed or nights out I’m not on and no falling off the wagon. This isn’t going to be a problem – I’m so over excited about these next two weeks I think the nerves will carry me through anything! EEEK!

Weekly training stats: Miles/kms covered: 20km
Tuesday 2 April
60 mins upper body training with personal trainer James.
Wednesday 3 April
Rest. NTC stretching for 30 mins
Thursday 4 April
Rest. NTC stretching for 30 mins
Friday 5 April
Rest. Abandoned training day with James too – just. couldn’t. move.
Saturday 6 April
More rest
Sunday 7 April
Another rest day.
Monday 8 April
60 mins of yoga at home.

Running tracks of the week: Magnetic Eyes, Matrix & Futurebound. Opening Up, Chromeo. Ooh Wee, Mark Ronson.

Read Lorna’s earlier marathon blogs here.