Thursday 15 August 2013

Weeks 31 & 32


The Longest Mile

It is exactly one month to the day until I take on the biggest personal sporting challenge yet. Reflecting on where I was at the point of starting my training to now, and I can only feel proud of what I have achieved, the mentality to stick to something, the drive to succeed along with physical changes, like losing 2 stone. If anyone reading wants to make a difference to their life and do something that will help others, I can not recommend entering into a half marathon enough

Over the last 2 weeks I have upped the anti with the training, the objective was to reach 12 miles, and so like it became that on a Saturday morning at 8am I went off to my training ground Pitsford Resevoir along with a good friend from work, who has been dragged into the running world by me the poor fella, to achieve the target I set out I would need to complete approximately 2 laps round.

It is a testament to the training that a 10k run is no longer a gruelling challenge but a nice run and as so it made the first lap nice and easy, the feeling of ease continues until approx 8 miles, then the lactic starts to kick in almost screaming at you to stop, a bit like the old monster from the shreddies adverts, you end up relying on your fluid intake to keep your ailing legs at bay, a strong mentality is required at this point, I find taking it a mile at a time helps, just thinking only 10 more minutes the it is mile 9 .. 10 .. etc. There was one thing that I wasn't prepared for and that is the hunger pain feeling kicking in. Reading articles your body can store enough carbohydrates for an hour and a half worth of exercise after that it rely's on you topping it up.Now I didn't have a bite to eat with me so I had to make work keeping a bottle of lucozade to last.

Eventually the end was in sight and the man from my nike plus running app read out 12 miles completed time 2 hours, I had done it and the time was not too shabby either, it was kind of a euphoric moment when I hit the milestone and now I know I can definitely do it I am going to savor the last mile that will be dedicated solely to Jasmine, Bring it on.

Numbered

This week I received my running pack including number and timing chip. I will be joining the pink brigade and starting from the K area which means I will be starting right from the back 56,000 runners in front of me that will be some spectacle. This is because when I filled in my entry form I said it would take me nearly 4 hours as it was all an unknown based on training I should do it in about 2 hours. So just incase you see me on BBC look out for runner 51376.

2 comments:

  1. You have done so well-despite your injuries you are still on target.
    Bring a paper sponsorship form down and I will quite happily wave it under friends noses in the CC who do not use Fbook, am sure we can boost your sponsorship for such a beautiful cause.xx

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  2. Luke just read your blogs .what can I say apart from so proud of you and could not wish for a better son.ito feel the loss of my beautiful granddaughter jasmine .she will be so proud of you and watching down on you when you do all your training and when you do your marathon. I see from your blogs that you think your mo farah.iwill happily runround Pitsford with you.'to give you chance to actually beat me for a change'may be get your revenge for me finishing before you in the 25 mile cycle for Cynthia with we did 3years ago even though im 21 years older than you. Any way son good luck for your big run in September'.love you from dadxxx

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