Panic sets in!

It was all going too well. I had reached the 10 mile mark. I was over the moon. But it all went downhill from there.

For the past two weeks I have been pretty much forced to rest and do nothing, due to a back injury. This came after getting a vomiting bug that also stopped me in my tracks for a few days.  

Apparently my back is out of alignment and I have to just bear with it, which is not good at all! I was absolutely gutted when I got the news. You’d think that I was told I couldn’t run anymore ever - and that’s exactly how it felt. 

Everyone just told me to rest and I would be okay, but I was so disappointed not to be able to run my 11 miles. I think it must be addicted if I missed getting up at 7am in the morning for a long run, or maybe a bit mad. Or both.

This is a recurring injury, so I kind of knew when I started training that it could happen. When it did, I was devastated. 

But, I’m staying positive and not giving up: I’m hoping to be back training this week.

I didn’t realise just how important running was in my life until I was told not to do it. I suppose that’s a good thing - it shows how far I’ve come since I began training. 

So roll on Saturday, for my 12 miles!

I really can’t wait to put my runners on and get out there and if I can get two or three short ones before the weekend, I’ll hopefully manage the 12-mile mark and get back on track.  

Of course, I am a little worried that I won’t be able for 12 miles now, and that the past two weeks will have slowed me down and halted my training. 

I know I only missed two long runs, one of which was only eight miles, so its not really that bad. But I have missed a lot of short ones to build up my miles, so I am panicking a bit. 

I know everyone keeps saying not to worry and that there is plenty of time, but let’s get real - there isn’t, is there? The marathon is only 11 weeks away this weekend.

Okay, I am definitely starting to panic. How will I be ready in 11 weeks to run 26.2 miles? 

Everyone says the rest will be good for muscles but I’m a bit sceptical. Let’s see how this week goes. 

I suppose I had better say thanks to my chiropractor, Bobbie Kestler  and physiotherapist, Micheál Lynch, both of whom had to listen to my moans about not being able to train.

And I was not a good patient. I really didn’t want to listen to them, especially when I was advised not to run at all. But they’re the professionals, so I’m going to have to listen. 

In the meantime, also on their advice and that of Marcus Howlett the Race Director for the Tralee International Marathon I have been stretching and swimming a little to help keep my muscles working. 

On the plus side, as I wasn’t training I have returned my social life to its previous standards and have been out celebrating Christmas early. 

So here’s hoping that I will be back on track this week and next time I write the blog I will have completed a half marathon - as according to the training schedule I will run 13 miles on Saturday 29th December - a good end to 2012. 

I've got the running habit!

I have officially reached double digits: I can run 10 miles - yes, 10 whole miles! I was on such a high when I broke that barrier on Friday you would think I had run the marathon itself - but there really is something really great about reaching that milestone. 

Sure it was tough, but honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I expected at all.  I struggled for the last two miles a bit but overall, I ran it without too much difficulty. 

When I started training six weeks ago, I really could not have imagined reaching 10 miles - but now it’s on to 11 miles this week. 

And in just a few weeks time I will have a half marathon completed.

There was a few moments when I kind of thought to myself, “Oh my God, I’m never going to make it”. But then you get another burst of energy and you get another bit done. 

I did my 10 miles on my own, so I did get a bit bored too. I think that actually might be the worst thing about distance running - after a while you get sick of listening to music and thinking. So now I see the benefits of running with the group.

I actually had a wedding at the weekend and I planned all my running schedules around it, which is quite impressive for me; complete dedication. 

Let’s hope I keep it up for Christmas. I have even started planning to make sure I keep my training schedule during the holidays and still manage some sort of a social life!

Running has actually become part of my life. They say it only takes six weeks to create a habit so maybe now I have a running habit. 

I’ve got into the routine of running Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, Thursday mornings and on Saturdays.

And since I began, I’ve only missed one session. That was this week, as I had a pretty hectic schedule. 

But aside from that, I’m eating healthy and I am obviously fitter. So it’s so far, so good. 

I actually quite looking forward to increasing my mileage every week, although 26 miles does still seem very far away. But it doesn’t look quite as daunting as it did back at the beginning.  

The big day is getting closer now, and while there are some days where you feel like going ‘I don’t want to train again’, most of the time I just put on my runners and go. 

I remember reading about other people doing that and thinking how impossible it must be. 

But actually, once you have a schedule and keep to it, it becomes part of your life. This weekend, I’m ready for 11 miles.