We’re now getting to the really serious part of my training, but also the point where I know whether or not I’ll be able to actually finish the London Marathon on April 21st.
My last two training walks (over successive Sundays) were 5 1/4 hours (17.5 miles) and then last weekend 6 hours (20 miles) with the first in absolutely hideous cold persistent rain and the latter in bright sunshine so I had to wear suncream (though it was cold if you were out of the sun). In both of them I started to struggle from about 4 hours in, until sometime after 5 hours so I seem to have found my ‘wall’ which I wasn’t really expecting given that I’m ‘only’ walking.
The first week I put it down to the horrible weather and to being absolutely soaked through and freezing (it would appear my waterproofs can only hold out persistent rain for so long and my gloves are definitely NOT waterproof!), but I didn’t have that ‘excuse’ last week. I’m trying to eat and drink as much as my personal trainer has suggested as I walk (though I am finding it tough especially last week when there was a lack of public loos and then they were closed!), so I’m unsure what I can do to get me through it except ring up my OH and be pathetic down the phone! As pathetic as this sounds it has worked, so maybe I should try and get company at that point in order to distract me and probably get me to eat something sweet as its during this period I feel really down and everything seems to be hurting and I’m just so tired…
Its only just over 8 weeks now until the Marathon so I really need to get this sorted as soon as possible! Other that this, everything seems to be coming together quite well – I’ve started to break in the shoes I’ll be wearing on the day and I’m nearly got my clothing sorted too. I bought some running tech tights (I already have a tech shirt) to wear under my trousers last week and they did help to get the sweat away from me but they also rubbed in one place so I’ll have to make sure that won’t happen on the day. Maybe a bit of vaseline will do the trick!
Given that I’m out ‘on the road’ for so long, I’ve switched from a bag (which always got in the way) to a rucksack and that seems to be working much better and means that I can carry pretty much everything I could possibly need though I’m trying to make sure that it doesn’t start too heavy especially as I start with 1 850ml water bottle and 1 500ml water bottle (both full). I’ve had to make a checklist of everything I need to take, and what to have ready for when I get back just so I don’t forget anything!! Obviously I may not need to do this ‘on the day’ but I will have to have some sort of bag to carry food and my mobile portable charger as it won’t be realistic to expect my supporters to have what I need at each point. Maybe I shall have to get a ‘bum bag’!
One thing I have been impressed with on my long walks is that (as long as I’m sensible with using my bluetooth headphones and listening to music) my Nexus 4 Android phone battery has lasted quite well even though I’m using Endomondo on it to track my training via GPS and checking Facebook/Twitter/Email. I really thought that I would need to use my portable charger more, but on the 6 hour walk I was listening to the womens cricket world cup on my DAB radio and didn’t need to charge it at all AND it had over 30% charge still by the time I got home.
I’ve also been quite pleased that I’ve managed to maintain a steady speed over most of my walks. At this speed (approx 3.33 miles per hour) I should take just over 7 3/4 hours to finish the course which is actually better than I’d hoped though I may well get quite slow as I get towards the end – especially if they are packing up the marathon around me (a real possibility)! However having done a 6 hour walk I now feel like (if I keep up my training) I WILL be able to finish the Marathon so now its full speed on getting sponsorship!
This weekends walk is ‘only’ 4 3/4 hours (16 miles) as its a recovery one after my two longer ones. Hopefully the forecast snow will stay away and I’ll be able to get out there!
As always if you want to sponsor me please go to https://www.justgiving.com/Sturtridge-London-Marathon but I welcome encouraging comments too!