... and here I am again (more battery life in my computer this week) but unfortunately no more battery life in me and no time to spare. It's 22:13, Aston's asleep and although my eyes are open I'm not sure technically I can be classed as being awake lol!
I've had a great second week of easing myself (ungracefully) into consistent running and have loved every run that I've done. With the help of amazing friends who get their fix of Aston/Rosie cuddles/tantrums while I plod my way around the streets of Harrogate I've managed to run six times, two of these runs being a 10 miler and today a 14miler. I know I'm highly motivated at the moment because the weather has been nothing short of foul and it hasn't stopped me. When I'm woken up at 4:30am by the hungriest baby in the world I see a window of running opportunity that doesn't impact so much on Tom's day and I throw my running kit on with gay abandon imagining I'm as light footed as a gazelle. In reality I thunder my way round the windy, rainy, dark, streets while everyone else sleeps but I enjoy my freedom and the feeling that I'm doing something to get myself fit again. As much as I hate being at the opposite end of my usual fitness scale I do enjoy the process of feeling like every run is making a difference and slowly but surely my legs will stop complaining and my fitness will return. Who knows, maybe Comrades is even gong to be possible to do lol!
While running with my really good mate Hannah (who is also a mother and uses running to keep her self sane) she asked about my actual thoughts about Comrades and how I was mentally approaching the concept of 56 miles. It's a good question. The simplest answer... oblivion. Seriously. I've never run 56 miles before so how on earth can I possibly imagine how hard it's going to be?! Am I fazed by it? Not really (I am totally oblivious though). Am I afraid of how far it is? Not really, I'm training, it's going to be hard, but I'm still oblivious. This oblivion is (sometimes) a wondrous thing. I would never have done Ironman if it wasn't for my oblivion and I certainly wouldn't have considered having kids because people tell you things are hard, hurt or are ridiculously difficult but until you experience these things yourself there is a certain degree of this oblivion. The thing that worries me the most about Comrades isn't the distance it's the heat. I fall apart in the heat. The heat has been my downfall in all but one Ironman. The only Ironman that I actually had a great day in (in Germany), the weather was variable. Cool and a bit drizzly for the swim, warm on the bike and overcast for the run. This turned out to be the perfect conditions for me to be in. If it's really, really hot in Comrades I've got to keep an eye on my fluid intake and not push myself too hard or I'll spend the majority of the run puking by the kerbside and trying to find a loo. I'm not oblivious to how hideous this experience is and this is what worries me the most about Comrades. I can't do anything about that though so all I can do is train the best I can to make sure I'm fit and in good nick on the day and then monitor the heat and how to deal with it.
I'd love to write a little more but my eyelids have become heavier than my backside and with Aston currently having what I can only describe as an insatiable appetite (which translates into my world as immense sleep deprivation) I really need to get some zzzzzzz's. I was up at 1am, 4am and 6am feeding Aston and I've run 14 miles. I'm good for nothing except sleep.
Thanks for your comments and kind words. It's great to be blogging again & even better to be running again.
Night all :)
H
Oblivion or not, what a great start Helen, already grinding out 14 miles is brilliant. Horrible weather only makes you stronger in the long run - and for sure you have a 'long run' to tackle. The race is far enough away yet not to be even thinking about it other than knowing it is a long way! It is a challenge, a new challenge and one you can & will beat. Keep Running.
ReplyDeleteNow who is this other 'comrade' or are you really on your own? ;-)
14 miles after a night like that? Imagine what you can do after a good night's sleep - it's really winter miles = summer smiles for you. As for the heat - if you know how you are in the heat AND you know how to help yourself in it, you will be fine. Better than fine - an inspiration to all of us.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't work out whether having been woken by Aston at 4:30am you saw your window of opportunity to just leave the house and let Tom breastfeed him, or took him round with you (Aston, not Tom).
ReplyDeleteI can remember a very restless night with our second child and figured if we were both going to be awake anyway I might as well make use of it so I put them in the pushchair and ran 12 miles before dawn.