Couch to 26.2 Miles

Week One:

The journey starts here; the decision to take part in this year’s Yorkshire Marathon was a little spontaneous to say the least. An ad popped up on Instagram saying there were still spaces available for the event and within 48 hours I’d reserved my place. I’m not new to marathons, I’ve run two Yorkshire Marathons in the past, but this was all before my life changed completely becoming a mother. My daughter Ava is now 5, she’s in full time education and all of a sudden I no longer have looking after her as an excuse not to get out and exercise…

Like many people, my weight gain went up dramatically over the lockdowns (around 2st to be exact) and I don’t feel great for it; I was always a gym junkie in my twenties, weight and cardio training most days of the week. I was that person you’d envy for struggling to put weight ON! Oh how the past 5 years have changed that! Now it's a case of juggling Ava, working at the clinic and running my own small business. I do manage to squeeze in a few walks with our dog Bella but nowhere near the amount of fitness I used to do. Whilst I’m not expecting to get that level of fitness back (I mean that would be the dream!) it would be lovely to bounce on a bouncy castle at a kids birthday party and not feel completely exhausted in less than a minute! I’m hoping that having the marathon as my ultimate goal will help me regain some of that endurance I once had.

So week one of twenty-eight training starts now; Our physio Martyn here at the clinic will be the one in charge of all of my training and treatment and we’ll be keeping in touch via a handy little app called Final Surge. This is a first for me, I’ve never really had anyone coach me for fitness or any running events I’ve done in the past, so it’ll be nice to have a knowledgable and experienced person to lean on for help and advice. The diary for week one involves a Runners MOT with Martyn himself at the clinic where weaknesses, strengths, running style etc will be assessed. There is also 3 days this week scheduled in for a brisk 4mi walk (we are literally starting from scratch with all of this)…

Other than that I’ll be looking to get the new Apple Watch through the Vitality health insurance boss lady Lisa set up for each member of the team and a pair of shiny new trail runners too.

There’s lots to get excited about but I’ve got to keep in mind that it has to be baby steps to start with.

Until next week folks!

Siobhan x 

Week Two:

I made it to week two folks! Week one turned out to be a series of trial and error... although more error than anything. I started off wearing the wrong socks with my walking boots which subsequently resulted in me getting a huge blister on one of my heels! Why oh why did I not remember how important a decent pair of socks are?! On the second 4 mile walk, I'd dug out my old Hilly socks, plastered up the blister but as I couldn't find my old trail runners, I had to wear my HIIT trainers, which don't have nowhere near the same grip and it also happened to be snowing that day too! Yep, snow!

Despite the absolute school boy errors, I'd completed, at that point, 2 out of 3, 4 mile walks. On Thursday I had a really great Runner's MOT with physio Martyn who gave me a good indication of where my weaknesses lie and what needs working on. Calf and hamstring strengthening seems to be the thing I'll need to concentrate on most. I also managed to pop in and see physio Laura that day for a quick 20 minute treatment to loosen off my glutes, which had tightened up and were giving me grief already!

On Friday myself and my husband Guy took a little trip across to Harrogate to pop into the Runner's Need shop there and to make use of my 50% discount with Vitality health insurance. I bought a fresh new set of trail runners (the new Saucony Peregrine 12's) and a few other bits like new socks and leggings that actually fit (as I've been squeezing into clothes a size too small). That evening I took to my last 4 mile walk of the week kitted out, looking like a Runner's Need advert and felt fantastic (despite the sore glutes from my session with Laura)...

 The new trainers are cushioned and comfortable, with amazing grip, even on the muddiest terrain and I finished that walk with a beautiful sunset and joined by a gorgeous barn owl flying overhead.

This week, the mileage is turned up a notch to 3 x 5 miles and the start of a few 15 min HIIT sessions thrown in too, to get my cardio and strength up. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed for that all important Apple watch to replace my trusty 10 year old Tom Tom gadget.

See you next week!

Siobhan x

Week 3:

We are already half way through week 3 and things are going really well. My Apple Watch arrived on the weekend and has been a total game changer when it comes to keeping track of my fitness, steps, heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep etc. It makes things super easy to keep stuff all logged into one place too and linked up to the Vitality app for those all important points!

When it comes to the actual training side of things we are still on the brisk walks. We took it up to 5 miles last week and aside from tight calf muscles, a couple of hot spots on my feet (from breaking in my new trainers) and getting caught out in a few downpours, things are progressing. This week we are onto around 6-6.5 miles.

I’m really starting to believe that muscle really does have memory though and I can feel the level of fitness that I had all those years ago starting to return once again. However, my focus can’t just be on the walking/running side of things, I have to bear in mind the importance of strength, which will enable me to progress without pain and hopefully avoid any injuries. So with that said, I had an assesment with Martyn who gave me specific exercises to practice to see just how many reps I can manage before things started to hurt. That then gave us a good starting point for him to design me a strength training program tailored to benefit me. My calf and hamstring muscles seem to be the weakest points and the muscles that will need the most work. So lots of bridges (progressing to one legged bridges) and calf raises are in order.

The increase of exercise is not only already changing my body but my mind too; I’m feeling much better within myself, I have more energy, I sleep better and my skin seems to be less blemish prone. I’ve taken to having a few more hot baths as well; filling them with Epsom salts and essential oils such as black pepper and cinnamon to help with muscle fatigue. I know I’m only a few weeks in, but I really want to make a conscious effort to start putting all of these self care practices into play, then when the days of the long 10/15/20 mile runs start, I’m already in a good solid routine.

So that’s all to report this week folks. I hope you all enjoy your Easter weekend and I’ll check back in in the coming week.

Siobhan x

Week 4:

I hope you all had a lovely Easter break! How glorious has this weather been in Yorkshire?! 

So last week saw the start of the 6 mile brisk walks, trying to aim for a pace of around 16.0 mins/mile. As it’s the school Easter holidays and my husband is on leave it’s meant I can get out in the evening instead and do my training. It’s cooler and much quieter on the trail but I need to work on my timings, as it’s been a race against the sun and I’ve finished a few walks in the moonlight!

I’m really starting to settle into my pace with ease now, my cardio is improving every day and I’m training comfortably with an average heart rate of around 149bpm. My only issue really is tight calf muscles still but they tend to loosen up around 3 miles in. Aside from the brisk walks last week, I also added in a HIIT session which involved a kettle bell workout from Aussie fitness mama Revie Jane (if you haven’t heard of her, she’s well worth checking out for great home HIIT sessions!). The workout was mainly leg and glute focused but the abdominal  DOMS I had for 24-48hrs after, was a good indication to me that it hit a little more than just lower body! That workout saw me burn 111kcals in just 11 minutes and my heart rate reach 176bpm (can you tell I’m loving my new Apple Watch?!)...

So with the training walks, the HIIT session and a few walks I took with the family over near Helmsley and at home (and just general day to day life) I managed to wrack up 87,220 steps! Phew!

We are well into week 4 now and etching up into the 7 mile walks!

I’ll check back in with you all next week! Have a good one folks!

Siobhan x

Week 5:

Sailing my way into week 5 and feeling good; last week was another great week of training, with the mileage creeping up and the time it’s taking me going down. I’ve been warned though not to get too comfortable with how everything is feeling, as I’ve an urge lately to do more training on top of what’s already scheduled for me. This really is where the saying “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” comes into play; really taking the time to build up my strength and endurance, rather than skipping ahead and doing too much too soon. So with that said we are sticking with 3 days of brisk walks, 2 days of strength training and 1 HIIT session. Making that 5 days in total of exercise and those 2 all important rest days.

We've been blessed with some stunning April sunshine this past week so it’s been glorious to be able to get out and train and soak up some vitamin D in the process. Last Friday saw my longest training walk to date, 7.5 miles managing a pace of around 15’59”/mi, which is my quickest yet. I'm desperate to start running now, but I’ve a couple more weeks left of the brisk walks before a run/walk is introduced.

My muscles, are feeling better though, my right calf muscle doesn’t burn for half as long now, only really taking a mile or so to settle down. The weight is slowly starting to come off; I’ve lost around 4lb so far, but I’m trying not to become too focused on my weight and only really keeping a check on this once a week. I have noticed a massive difference in my eating though; I feel a heck of a lot more hungry during the day and at times I can feel quite lightheaded from drops in my sugar levels. This happened a lot when I used to train before having Ava. My metabolism would speed up and I’d never fuel myself with enough food. So this is something I need to look at, to avoid making the same mistakes again.

This week we are heading towards an 8 mile walk, looking at a total of 21 miles!

Wish me luck!

Siobhan x

Week 6:

It’s been a week of hitting little bumps in my training; silly little things like random hot spots appearing on my feet (still) that are hindering my pace somewhat, super tight calf muscles at the start of the walks that seem to disappear a few miles in, tweaks in my lower back that twinge every so often (even on rest days) and press on a nerve, causing an ache in my legs and just a general feeling of tiredness…

It feels like all of this just seems to be my body’s response to the weekly increase in mileage and is definitely an indication that I need to now turn my attention to the importance of my rest and recovery days; I need to make sure I’m eating the right food to fuel my muscles (plenty of carbs), getting enough sleep (9-10 hours a night) and allow myself a few more hot baths with those all important Epsom salts. I have made myself a really great muscle balm though; made with daisy infused almond oil, local beeswax and a blend of rosemary and peppermint essential oils to help release off tension and help my sore muscles. It seems to be working a treat. So I’m happy to dish out the recipe for those who’re interested!

However, with all that said, the training walks (accompanied by our blue staffy Bella) and strength sessions still went ahead and were all completed. We even ventured out on the weekend for an extra walk alondside the Flamborough coastline. Going at a much slower pace though, double what I've been doing.

I also managed to see Laura last week at the clinic for a quick elbow in the glutes session; which released off loads of tension and weirdly stopped my calf muscles from burning on the next walk.

This week and next week we are continuing to brisk walk, with the distance now up to 9 miles, so fueling up will be essential. I actually totted up the amount of miles I’ve done in the past 30 days and I’m on just over 120 miles, 34 hours of training, 24 walks and 7781cal burnt. Which is only going to keep increasing!

So until next week, take it easy!

Siobhan x

Week 7:

This week saw my longest walk yet at 9 miles; Completed in 2:25:59 with a nice pace of 16’12”/mi. There were a few blips along the way including a pretty sore blister that appeared half way through the walk for no apparent reason and thirst kicked in for the first time too, so could be time to look at investing in a camelbak. As for the blister, it was a case of just ignoring it as best I could and carrying on, though the post training shower was a painful one! This week's miliage totted up to 23.33 miles, it's slowly creeping up!

Other than finishing my walks in a decent time and with a good pace and staying on top of any niggles that occur, there’s not a great deal else to report from this week. The introduction of the walk/run sessions starts in a few days time which I'm a little nervous about. I haven't actually run properly for a good 5 years now so I'm not sure how my body is going to respond. But I'll keep you updated on that in next week's blog!

Siobhan x

Week 8:

A bit of a mixed bag this week with super skills needed in balancing work/training/mum life! This week saw the start of my first run/walk; just 6 miles in distance but including 6 x 2 minute runs. I felt ok, not brilliant, it certainly does give you that kick of cardio when you begin running and I did think at one point “How the hell am I supposed to run 26.2 miles?” But to be honest I felt that kind of negativity on my first training walk all those weeks ago. The trick is to let those thoughts come and go and ignore the devil on your shoulder, who’s not rooting for you…

The running (as minimal as it was) did leave me feeling super achy the next day, after waking up muscles that have been dormant for so long now. Hot baths and stretching helped but I was a little peeved to still be dealing with blisters.

Friday came around and the last training day of the week, before a restful weekend. This time I was joined by my husband Guy for a chunky 9 mile brisk walk; Guy is a serving Royal Marine, so if anyone is allowed to join me in training, it’s him. He too, loves a challenge and having him alongside me was great encouragement. So much so that I finished this distance in my quickest time and leveled up to a whole new walking pace (averaging 15’24”/mi) but it did come complete with swollen walker’s hands though, that’s a first!…

However, before heading out on this root march I discovered the reason I was continuing to have blisters on my right heel; It turned out the internal part of the trainer on the heel section had completely worn down and there was a hole exposing the hard trainer plate inside. I’d expect this maybe after a year or so of consistent use, but definitely not after just 6 weeks! I was so cross! We got in touch with Runners Need in Harrogate straight away, who said they’d be happy to send them back to the factory to see why this has happened, but at that point didn’t say whether or not they’d replace them. Throughout that 9 mile walk I was panicking in my head that I wouldn’t have a decent set of trainers to train in and that I’d have to dig out and dust off my old runners from the last time I did the marathon back in 2015. We headed off to Harrogate straight after the school run and made it in time before the store closed. The store assistant was cool about replacing them then and there which was a relief and we picked up another set of leggings and socks too (as we thought two birds one stone plus the first lot are so comfy!).

So we are now going into week 9 and I’m nervous to have a brand new set of runners to have to break in but thankful it’s been sorted. I have a set of heel grippers en route from Amazon, just to put in that one trainer in case my heel is slipping slightly and cause the rubbing, if anything I just hope it stops the blisters.

Fingers crossed.

Catch you need week!

Siobhan x

Week 9:

Week 9 was a tough one; I struggled with a few niggles here and there (possibly due to breaking in these new trainers). Toe cramp was something that arose in the 10 mile walk I was doing; I’d never experienced that before and it stopped me in my tracks at least 3 times within the 6th mile. It’s very easy to think on the negative side when problems like this appear, but I’m trying to have a “trial and error” mindset approach to it; making errors and learning not to make them again! Tying my laces too tight/not tight enough, not taping my feet up in the right places, not massaging my calves out before and after training, remembering to bring water for the long distances; these are all things I’m learning along the way, despite subconsciously knowing them already from past experiences.

I’ve started to up my intake of carbs between training too as I can feel myself flagging most days now, waking up most mornings already starving. My nutrition still needs work (something I’ve struggled with in the past).

On a much more positive note the weather has been beautiful and the 10 mile walk did lead me to new sights; even more glorious trail along the old railway, with everything flourishing and green. My 12 year old blue staffie Bella joins me on all of my training so I treated her to a pamper session with the lovely Gemma at Stop To Paws (she particularly enjoyed having a blueberry facial and paw rub) and a puppachino from Starbucks at the end of the week as a thank you.

Bella and I are back on the trails this week with another 24 miles scheduled for training before I travel north on Sunday to the west coast of Scotland with my daughter Ava for the Jubilee week; I’ll have to move about my training to make sure I can squish it all in but I'm excited to get away for a bit and have a break from the norm.

Until then, I hope you enjoy the rest of your week folks!

Siobhan x

Week 10:

Bit of a strange one this week as all my training had to be done over 3 days back to back, more towards the end of the week, as the first half was spent on the west coast of Scotland on a little mini break with our daughter Ava. With the arrival of half term we took the opportunity to go and visit a good friend who lives in the hills of Ballantrae in Ayrshire. Blessed with sunny skies, fresh sea air and a few handfuls of midges, it was a much needed break from the norm and lovely to be up in all that beautiful scenery. When I returned (and after a few squishes with my mum and dads new puppy Milo) I knew I had my work cut out for me with 3 back to back training sessions mounting to just over 24 miles in total. Martyn had spiced things up too by adding in more running intervals into two of the brisk walks. I was joined by my husband Guy on one of the sessions which was nice, he’s a fantastic support for me and my number one fan. Needless to say at the end of the 3 days I was pooped. My legs were so sore. Particularly the front of my shins, which I might get one of the physios to take a look at some point, it could well be tightness elsewhere causing the issue. Other than that we are all good. I’ve lost nearly a stone in weight, I’m feeling stronger after having a chunk of time off training and raring to go this week, already completing a 9 mile training session!

We are almost halfway through training, I can’t believe how fast these past 10 weeks have gone. Clearly time flies when you’re having fun…ish.

Catch you next week!

Siobhan x

Week 11:

It’s been a relatively positive week aside from a few hiccups with tight muscles (again). The weather is really starting to heat up now so I’m trying to time my training sessions around how hot it is (I also have to think of the dog and how much she can handle in her old age). I had my first experience running with sunburn too, which I recommend avoiding at all costs if you can, it’s so uncomfortable. Along with underarm chafe too, sounds bearable but mix in a little sweat and it can become a real thorn in your side.

Anyways, this week saw the first 11 mile training session of the program; pushing 5.5 miles out of the village and discovering new places down the railway along the way. It’s amazing how just an extra .5 of a mile can lead you to even more beautiful scenery. Rabbits, buzzards, deer, hare; the track and hedgerows right now are teeming with wildlife right now and it’s been lovely to see the seasons change over the past 11 weeks.

On a different note entirely, I’m considering investing in the the Phits orthotics we’ve started doing here at the clinic; I’m really wary of how my feet feel during training and wonder whether the hot spots I’m getting on the inside of my sole are to do with weight distribution and how my feet are landing. I’ve already had them scanned and just need to look at popping my order in. I’ll keep you posted with what happens there.

Until next week, enjoy all this gorgeous weather folks!

Siobhan x

Week 12:

Rolling into week 12 and the hottest one so far! I’ve been told by Martyn to take it down a notch with the running as the first training session of the week left me with really sore shins. I’ve dealt with shin splints in the past and know what to look out for; whether this is just weak muscles that have been lay dormant for so long finally waking up, or the start of something more sinister, I don’t know, but best to air on the side of caution and drop the tempo for a week or so to allow myself to time to recoup and strengthen up.

I was lucky enough to get in a see our physio Sam for a half hour of “elbow in the glutes/back” which eased areas that were giving me some grief…

I headed out on my 6 mile walk on Thursday, feeling positive that it was going to be a breeze but the heat and lack of water I took with me soon got to me and I was feeling super lightheaded come the 5th mile. Luckily my husband Guy was walking alongside me, so if anything was to happen, he’d was there to scoop me up (yes, I felt that bad)…

Since that day, I’ve not been feeling 100%; I’ve had really weird stomach cramps and have just felt generally zapped. I’m putting it down to a lack of water, the right food and not enough sleep, so I’m going to be really trying a lot harder from now on with fueling myself during my rest days. I did complete all of my training sessions, though the 11 miler was a real slog and I was up to 19 minute miles at one point. My body just didnt want to go any faster.

On a different subject entirely I’m going to have to take back my trainers for a second time; the inside heel in my right shoe is wearing once again and causing blisters. I’m feeling a bit miffed if I’m completely honest; 12 weeks in and the one thing that should be right is my footwear and after just 6 weeks (again) they are wearing down. I’m probably going to have to go for a completely different brand altogether and tape the back section of the shoe in case it happens again. I’ve never in my experience of running shoes experienced this and it feels mega deflating, especially cause I haven’t even started running full distances yet and have worn them approximately 18 times (as they are already a replacement pair)...

Anyways, I’m hoping this was just a bit of a lull week and that things will pick up in week 13.

Fingers crossed.

Siobhan x

Week 13:

The temperature cranked up even further this week with most mornings starting in the low 20’s before we’d even left for the school drop off…

The downside to training for a marathon that takes place in October means all your training has to be done over the hottest months of the year. But as I’ve only ever run October races, it’s all I’ve ever known. The difference this time around however is I’m a now a mum and with a husband who works in Scotland Monday to Friday it means I have to time all my training around the school hours, making it somewhat difficult to avoid the heat of the sun. The hot weather also meant that my little training fur buddy Bella had to sit a few sessions out.

In other news I think I finally sussed out what is wrong with my trainers; the problem isn’t my trainers as such, it’s my feet. Well, my right foot to be exact. I have a small bump on the back of my heel that is rubbing on the support plate in the heel of the trainer. It has the medical term “Haglund’s Deformity” aka the “Pump Bump”. Basically a bone bump/ridge that can form on the back of your heel and can be aggravated further through wearing shoes with a rigid back. They reckon that the causes can be hereditary but you can be more susceptible to it if you have high arches/a tight achilles tendon/have a tendency to walk on the outside of your heel. It’s a lot more common than you think, with lots of sportsmen in the same boat. Thankfully mine isn’t that bad and can be managed through choosing a trainer with a soft/flexible heel and making sure to stretch out my Achilles daily. As I have yet to take back the trainers to Runner’s Need I’ve just swapped out my Saucony’s for my 6 year old Adidas pair, and what do you know, not one hot spot/blister or any aggravation with my newly self diagnosed deformity, which is both encouraging and equally frustrating with the thought of having to break in another new pair of trainers almost halfway through my training. But I’m hoping by talking about this on here it might help someone reading this who might be experiencing something similar.

Anyways, the orthotics are en route which will be going into the new set of trainers when I get them which I’m looking forward to. But other than the pump bump news, there’s not a great deal else to report. So until next week folks, have a good one!

Siobhan x

Week 14:

Things feel a lot better this week. I’ve had to swap out my trainers for my old ones for now, but it means I’ve not had to deal with sore feet/blisters/hot spots etc. It feels lovely to actually finish a training session without being in pain and having to cover my feet in plasters. At the weekend we took another trip out to harrogate to take back the trainers to Runner’s Need. Luckily we had the guy that had served us from the very beginning and he was happy to swap them out for a completely different set of trainers all together. As my old trainers are Adidas I’ve gone for that brand again; sadly the ones I wanted weren’t there to try or even look at (as they only stock the ‘best sellers’ and mainly road running shoes), so they ordered them online for me and they are en route as I type. I did also treat myself to a pair of Nike running shorts, as training in full leggings is getting a little bit warm at the moment.

In terms of the training itself, not much has shifted with distance for a few weeks now. It does make me a little nervous as we are almost into double digits with the countdown and we’ve now passed the halfway point. In my head I feel I need to be doing more but I’m putting my faith in my coach Martyn and trusting the process that he can get me ready in time for the big day…

My Phits orthotics should be here soon too which I’m really excited about. For those reading this who might not be aware what orthotics are they custom made insoles that go into your shoes to help cushion your feet and redistribute the pressure. It can also help with such things like back pain that has been a knock on effect from problems with the feet. Ideally wearing them daily is where you’ll feel the most benefit but for myself they’ll be going into my running trainers to help with training. If you’d like more information, feel free to call or email the clinic and speak to our lovely Jenny. We offer an initial assessment, where your feet will be scanned and you take a look at the physics in a lot more detail with one of our physios. You can then go ahead and order your custom made insoles and start your journey. I’m excited to share my experience with you when mine arrive and report back on any changes I feel.

I think that’s about it for this week, hopefully I’ll have some more news on the Phits next week! Until then folks! Speak soon!

Siobhan x

Week 15:

What a week for sunshine it’s been! My god, it’s been a melting pot here in Yorkshire with temperatures reaching 28 degrees and looking likely to stay that way (if not hotter) over the coming week. The tracks are the driest I’ve ever seen them, with huge uneven cracks weaving this way and that. It does make training that little bit trickier as the ground is a lot harder underfoot and has caused my shins to flare up a little when running. I suffered from shin splints when I trained for the Great North Run back in 2012 and again in 2013 for my first Yorkshire Marathon, since then have only ever trained on trail. But the serious lack of rainfall has meant the trails here are dry and rock solid, not to mention so dusty that my legs are black with dirt when I arrive home. I’ve been having to ice my shins on an evening to try and bring the tenderness down, upped my intake of Vitamin D3 to help with muscle repair and I've used ibuprofen gel on them to help with the inflammation but long and short of it I need to stop running for a bit and focus more on strength training, specifically my hips and calf muscles. I’ll be looking to our Martyn to help out in that area with tailored exercises to be doing. Walking doesn’t seem to aggravate them though, so it does mean that I can continue getting the miles in my legs, this week completing 29 miles in total.

My lovely husband Guy was kind enough to bring back a camel bak from his work for me to use, which has been an absolute lifesaver. I easily drank over a litre of water on the 11 mile walk, so it’s a real game changer and takes away that worry of dehydrating whilst out in this heat.

As I type this my new orthotics from Phits have just arrived; I’ve been holding off trying my new Adidas trainers out because I wanted to try them with the insoles in. I’m really hoping that running/walking in these will help massively with my shin pain too. I’ll keep you all updated on that.

Having to strategically plan this next week of training; temperatures are going up to 33 degrees, so it’ll be a case of morning/evening sessions to avoid the heat of the sun. Hopefully I won’t get eaten alive by the bugs. Another thing to contend with on this mission to marathon goal.

Stay cool folks.

Siobhan x 

Week 16:

Another hot week here in Yorkshire, temperatures reaching into the low 30’s for most of the week. My orthotics arrived and I spent most of the week breaking them in; They felt very strange at first, almost like I was teetering out of my right shoe in particular but after wearing them a few times, I got used to the feeling and felt very well supported in them.

Long walks this week again, more recovery time for my shins. They are feeling much better though so hopefully reintroducing run/walks come Week 17. I’ve had a couple of late evening walks to avoid the heat this week and have really enjoyed just being out in the countryside. Surrounded by dragonflies, rabbits, deer and butterflies, it’s been a joy. I have however started picking up numerous bag of dog poo on my walks, as I can’t bear to walk past them and leave them. The amount I pick up is at times is crazy, it’s so sad to think there are so many irresponsible dog owners out there, who are just too lazy to walk to a bin. So I thought whilst I’m back to walking for now, I’ll try and do my bit to help the environment too!

On a different topic entirely, I’ve signed up to Hello Fresh; my diet hasn’t been great since training began and I haven’t been eating enough to fuel my body. By having Hello Fresh, it’s quick, easy and healthy and also quite fun to be cooking up some delicious dishes!

Super hot weather here this week now (week 17) so it’ll be strength training now until it cools down. We are expecting 41 degrees here tomorrow, so it’ll be a trip to the coast for the day to stay cool.

Have a great week folks and remember to drink lots of water!

Siobhan x

Week 17:

Good lord, this week started off with record breaking sunshine temperatures of 40 degrees and ended with heavy downpours. Training was strictly off until the back end of the week, to avoid the heat. To give you an idea of how hot it’s been, it was 27 degrees before parents were even leaving for the morning school run. I decided to keep Ava off on the hottest days and we kept cool at my parents garden hot/cool tub and we also took a trip to the beach for a much cooler day under a parasol with the sea breeze keeping the heat down.

Pushing my training to the back end of the week would’ve meant 3 back to back days of walking which Martyn didn’t recommend, so we did 2, but still managed to cover just over 23 miles. The first one we (Guy and I) totally misjudged the timings and halfway through our 10 mile walk we realized that we were going to be late for the school pick up. So we ended up running every other quarter mile over 5 miles, shaving off 30 minutes but man I was feeling it. My shins actually felt ok though and considering it was my first official walk out with my new trainers and insoles, I did alright.

The second training session of the week was scheduled on the wettest day of the week, but in all honesty I was so excited to get out in the cooler weather and enjoy softer trails and quieter walks, without worrying of dehydrating. That said it was still relatively warm on this walk, a real summer rainfall, with the wildlife all around absolutely loving the freshness. I originally had down 12 miles to do in this walk, but as I pushed myself (unexpectedly) in my previous session with the running I wanted to push on and do a half marathon. So 6.55 miles out and then back. Which ended up taking from Bubwith to Holme On Spalding Moor and back again. Passing farmland, replenished becks and a rather interesting water works place that stunk to high heaven and definitely goes down as the worst part of the trail so far.

As far as things go with the new orthotics I’d say the first 10 minutes or so of wearing them is the most uncomfortable and then they just seem to settle. I definitely would not recommend running in them straight away, unless you want hotspots on the arches of your feet. Luckily they haven’t worsened into blisters, but I’m expecting a few in new places on my feet as I break the new trainers in too.

July seems to have shot passed, I can’t believe it’s already the last week of the month. The idea of having just over 2 months left to train is making me feel really nervous, especially because I’m still yet to run a full distance. I think I need to sit down and write up a plan for the coming weeks, it might help to put my mind at ease.

Anyways, back to normal this week (hopefully) with 3 training sessions and a strength session too oh and juggling all that with the summer holidays and work etc! Wish me luck!

Siobhan x

Week 18:

Week 18 marks the start of the school summer holidays so now we have Ava off for 6 weeks it’s going to be a little bit of a juggling act. Luckily Guy is on leave and at home for week 19 and 20, so there’s only 3 weeks or so where I’ll have to beg a few friends to have her whilst I train. Week 18 was fun though, as every session this week included some form of running! In turn I’ve really felt it in my calf muscles especially, but less so on my shins which hopefully means the orthotics and the new trainers are doing their job. Running on the new insoles though has given me some interesting new blisters on the arches of my feet and on the side of my big toes, but I’ll take a few blisters over any other injury, any day of the week. A little tape and some time for the skin to harden and we should be golden!

In other news, I got the scales out at the end of the week to weigh myself and was shocked to see I now weigh 10st 1.2lb. I can’t believe I’m nearly within the 9st bracket, it feels like forever since I saw 9st on the scales; all this perseverance is paying off! The trick now is to continue to better my nutrition; allowing myself enough carbs, protein etc for the amount of exercise I’m doing. People tend to forget that when you train for such long periods of time and burn a high amount of calories whilst doing so, that the body still continues to burn at a high rate even when not working out, so feeding that fire with the right amount of fuel is a continuous task and very much a learning curve for me again since my last marathon.

Finally I was very blessed to be joined on one of my training sessions by a few deer; it was a late session and a lovely summers evening. Seeing them so close and seemingly ok with my presence was just gorgeous. I hope it’s not the last I see of them.

So here we go with week 19! Excited to see what’s in store!

Siobhan x

Week 19:

We’ve fallen into a really lovely pattern these past few weeks of 1 relatively short session coupled with 2 longer sessions. It has however been a really busy few days, with us making the most of the time Guy has on leave to squish in family time, work and training. Between trips to Temple Newsam, Lightwater Valley and Whitby, I’ve had to squish in 3 training sessions. I managed 2, which means the third rolls over into this week! My legs post Whitby were just not ready for 3 hours worth of running and walking the day after, so I gave myself a proper rest day and stayed home to potter about the house with chores that needed doing.

My Sunday rest day did in fact mark the 10 week point until the marathon, which is terrifying to say the least. It leaves me with the biggest knot in my tummy and waves of doubt. But at least it’s 10 weeks of continuing to strengthen my mind and body, ready for the big day. That, I can be thankful for.

Physio and running coach Martyn is now on holiday for the next 2 weeks (not jealous at all), but the little gem has popped in all my training so I know exactly what’s coming up! The ratio is beginning to change, more running, less walking, so I’ve got to be on the ball with my stretches, nutrition and hydration. I also have to be super careful with the blister that keeps appearing on the arch of my foot. It's painful on the longer sessions and no amount of tape seems to be easing the situation. Hopefully the skin will harden up and it won't be an issue for much longer.

Not many photos to share from this week in terms of training as it's not as easy to stop when I'm running. So here's a few from our other adventures this week too!

See you all next week!

Siobhan x

Week 20:

We kick started week 20 with a very early training session that should’ve taken place on the previous Sunday (in week 19). To be able to squish 3 hours into a busy day ahead, I had to be out the door for 6am. Despite the initial temptation to switch my alarm off and go back to sleep, it turned out to be a really lovely session; cool enough for the dog to join me and plenty of wildlife out in the morning mist.

The next day was a challenge though; a 90 minute session, alternating between walking 3 minutes and then running 3 minutes. I was joined by the combine harvesters in the field next to the track and managed to snap a lovely photo of them busy working under the moon light.  On a different topic, the blister on the arch of my foot burst during this session and I’ve always been told never to run around a blister, which basically means don’t compensate elsewhere to avoid the pain. This actually happened to me when I was training for my first marathon. I took a wrong turn on a 14 run and added another 4 miles on top of it, during which I developed a blister on my left foot. I started to shift my weight across to my right foot more and ended up injuring myself. My the toes on my right foot seized up and whenever I tried to bear weight on that leg, there was a twanging sensation down my shin. It was very painful but it did lead me to discovering Hands That Heal and the miracle worker who is Lisa Wiles, who had me back on my feet and training once more within days. I learnt a lot from that experience, so I’m wary of making the same mistake again.

I had a 11 mile run/walk scheduled for the Friday, which I completed but finished in the pitch black. Sunset training is beautiful, but as soon as the light descends, the darkness takes over and you find yourself running with owls hooting and bats flitting about overhead, whilst desperately trying not to trip on a rogue tree root. After this session, my blister was well and truly painful. Even the Compeed plaster I had on it was failing me, so I removed that, gave it a wash and hoped that the following day trip to the beach and a swim in the salty sea water would help it heal naturally. It did help somewhat but not enough to make me want to get up early doors on the Sunday to go out for another 3 hours training. My alarm went off at 5am and feeling how tender my foot was and how little sleep I’d had due to the warm, muggy night, I listened to my body and went back to bed. It’s amazing the guilt you feel when you skip a training session, I spent all day wondering if I’d made the right decision. But I only had to think back to my past experience of doing too much and paying for it with an injury to realize I was doing the right thing.

I have now moved that 3 hour session to this Saturday, giving me 4 training sessions to complete this week (21), but two of which are relatively short. I have ordered something called ENGO blister patches, that actually go on the shoe and insole and not the foot itself and are supposed to reduce friction by up to 50%, but we shall see. I will report back on that.

Next week (week 22) we are heading on a mini break to Northumberland with some friends, so I’ll be spending the week doing yoga and HIIT sessions in the morning to fill the gaps where I should be heading out to train.

The next few weeks of the school holidays are going to be a little jumbled as I balance mama/work/training life now that Guy is back at work. I have a great support system though, with fellow mama friends happy to have Ava when needed.

Anyways, until the next time we meet!

Siobhan x

Week 21 and 22:

I thought it was best to put these weeks together as Week 22 was spent mostly away in the beautiful hills of Northumberland…

Firstly let’s retrace and talk about Week 21 as I think I found this week the hardest so far. Martyn had set me some relatively short sessions this week because I’d mentioned that I’d need to ask for help from friends to have Ava whilst training. I was down for a 1.5 hr session and a 50 minute one, with a slight change up in the ratio of walking to running. It was a shock to the system, which I guess isn’t a bad thing but I was also struggling to sleep that week and in turn it was having a real knock on effect to how fatigued I felt.

During the 1.5 hr session we were working on an alternating 4 min walk and 3 min run, which was ok. I was tired at the end but managed to cover nearly 6.5 miles in the time. The only slight problem was I’d used the Engo patches on the arch of my right shoe (which worked a dream and caused no more friction) but then sods law the left started playing up, so was once again I was trying to run around a hot spot. It was warm again too and that showed in my maximum heart rate of 196bpm.

The second session of the week was the one I thought I’d sail through but in actual fact I hated every minute! I’d taped up the other arch, so wasn’t worried about blisters and hotspots but I was just so tired before I’d even set out the door. This time I was doing a 4 min run/1 min walk and I struggled. The minute walk just wasn’t enough time for my heart rate to come down and that session my max heart rate was up to 198bpm. It felt uncomfortable and for the first time in my training I was really struggling and kept stopping. In the end I ended up covering a distance of 3.8 miles.

I was so nervous for the 3 hour session on the Sunday and again came the doubt creeping in as to whether I can actually do this marathon come October. My body felt so tired from the lack of sleep, literally every night that week I was either laying awake till the early hours or waking even hour or so. For anyone who’s had a baby who wasn’t a great sleeper, you’ll know that broken sleep is worse than no sleep at all! I completed the 3 hour session, covering 11.6 miles. I just can’t seem to push past that distance! I also discovered when I got home that a hole starting to appear in the back of my shoe again but this time in the left. I did some research and it turns out the Engo patches can be used to stop rubbing on the heal too, with lots of reviews online saying how great they work for this type of issue. Thankfully the hole was only just starting to appear so I jumped online and ordered some more patches for my next run.

In Week 22 I intended to do some HIIT training whilst away in Northumberland; I bought all my kit with me but the week also fell in line with my moon time (something only us ladies have to deal with!), which explains the intense insomnia and lack of energy and strength the week previous. I decided to listen to my body and give it a few days break. It also gave my blisters and hot spots a chance to dry up and heal. It was by no means a lazy holiday, we still did plenty of walking (although the kids weren’t happy about that) and one day we even managed a lovely walk along a part of Hadrian’s wall to Sycamore Gap. On our return from Northumberland and after a day of unpacking and washing I managed to find childcare for Ava so I could take on my 3 hour Sunday session. I was so nervous as it’d been the longest time I’d taken off since training began but I’d carb loaded in the 2 days prior and felt as ready as I could be. The ratio this time around was 6:30 min walk and 3:30 min run which I fell comfortably into and ended up covering 12.1 miles. I also took a bag of skittles with me to give me a sugar boost when needed so my body wasn’t solely depending on the carbs I’d eaten. It’s probably the best session I’ve had, I felt energized and ready. So it completely eliminated any feeling of guilt I had over not training in the week. It was clearly what my body needed and I’m glad I listened to my intuition.

I’m not sure what’s on the cards for Week 23, it’s the last week of the school holidays and again it’s juggling childcare. It may well be a few HIIT sessions in the garden and then a longer session on the Sunday if I can find someone to have her, until she returns to school and we finally get a little structure and routine back once more. As it stands there’s 46 days to go until the marathon but I’m trying really hard to just take it week by week and not scare myself with the approaching date.

So until next week folks…

Siobhan x

Week 23:

A relatively quiet one this week as it was the last few days of the school holidays and there wasn’t much opportunity to find the childcare needed so I could go out and train. Instead the week was filled with beach trips, days at the park, late summer evenings walks with Ava to get my steps in and cooking good healthy food. I did manage to squish in a couple of HIIT sessions in the back garden mid week, just to give my body a bit of a wake up and shake up.

Sunday was my day to train, if I was going to do any session, the 3 hour one was going to be it. A good friend of mine was happy to take Ava whilst I trained, so after dropping her off, I ventured out. The weather is still so close and muggy, despite the heavy bursts of rain we’ve had. This 3 hour session was on a 6 minute walk and 4 minute run ratio. Again I was nervous because of the lack of training during the week but it seems my body performs better if it's not been absolutely flogged the whole week. I’ve figured out if I can keep my heart rate at around 188bpm I can run comfortably for longer.

All was going well, got to my halfway point and felt strong. I actually thought to myself how well my body felt, no aches or pains, no hot spots or blisters. That was until just after 8 miles where I tripped on the lip of a small beck bridge and ended up flat on my face! It really pulled the rug out from underneath me and I had to stop for a few minutes to catch my breath. I landed mainly on my right knee, which was all scraped and bleeding, but took a knock to my other knee, my left shoulder and the fall jolted my lower back too. The great thing is my watch started bleeping asking if I’d taken a fall, so that's a pretty clever feature. The dramatic side of me wanted to call for SOS but after a good cry and a shake off, I got back to my feet and started running again. My back was sore so I didn’t run/walk as fast on the way back but I finished the 3 hours with 12.2 miles under my belt. A hot bath and an early night sorted me out but I did wake in the night with my knee throbbing, more from the cut if anything.

But overall I’m good, I feel strong and ready to take on another week of full training now that Ava is returning to school.

Week 24 here we come…

Siobhan x

Week 24:

It was back to the grindstone this week, with Ava back at school, suddenly I had all the time in the world to train. I spoke to Martyn about my worries about not reaching 15-20 miles in my training yet and he assured me that everything will be fine. The gradual change in walking to running during my 3 hour session will build the mileage. But a good chunk of the distance on the day itself will be completed through mental strength. From my experience of marathons, I remember how tough those last few miles were; From about 19 miles I was running on pure willpower and it was that that got me through. The nerves for this race are really starting to creep in. I’m watching the countdown on this blog gradually ticking down the minutes and going through the motions of “You’ve got this” to “Jesus what have I let myself in for”…

This weeks training was a mixed bag, I’ve been doing great on my longer run on a Sunday through not flogging myself during the week, so I’ve said to Martyn to keep the weekday training sessions shorter but with more running. I also brought in a little cross training this week, open water swimming. I’ve always wanted to try this but being in the vale of York you’re pretty limited to where you can go. The rivers around these parts are pretty dangerous, with strong undercurrents and the potential hazard of sewage spills. The sea is too far away to go on a daily basis and anything waterfall/fairy pool wise is over in the Dales or up north in the Moors. However, through the power of hearsay I’ve discovered there’s a lake 20 minutes up the road from me, that’s quiet, secluded and cheap to swim in. Owned by the landowners, who keep the lake clean but relatively untouched; There’s place to park and get changed and fire pits will be lit during the colder months. I’ve always been fascinated by the benefits of cold water therapy; For a long time in my younger years I would go surfing at Cayton Bay and Scarborough; even during the cold months, we’d don our wetsuits and run into the sea with our boards, with no worries about how cold it was or the fact we could see our breath. It was amazing and highly addictive and now that I’ve found this lake so close by, I feel like this could become my new therapy. I suffer quite badly at times with anxiety which is something that came about after having Ava. The running has helped massively, more so than any medication or therapist has done for me. But there was something about swimming freely in the cold waters of the lake, amongst the lily pads and with the herons flying overhead that triggered something in me that has lay dormant for some time. A part of the old me, the carefree, free spirit, happiest in nature. It’s also amazing exercise; not only is your body working to keep warm but the swimming itself is great cardio without the stress on my joints.

I will probably have to invest in a swimming wetsuit for winter, if I want to keep going when the temperature drops to single figures, the wetsuit I have to surf in, is far too heavy and thick and won’t really allow me the flexibility I need to swim. Maybe it might be something to pop on the Christmas list, along with a dry robe too!

So running wise this week I did a hour session with a 4 minute walk and 3 minute run, where I covered a distance of 4.26 miles. Along with my usual Sunday 3 hour session with a 5.5 minute walk and 4.5 minute run where I ended up covering 12.47 miles. I really need to pay attention to stretching off though, even on the days where I’m not running, as tight muscles are causing me a little bit of pain which I don’t want to become a bigger problem. Thankfully Hannah and her boney elbows have come to the rescue this time, but stretching will help avoid these little niggles in the future.

This coming week the ratio changes up again so wish me luck!

Siobhan x 

Week 25:

Moving into week 25 and I kick started it by purchasing a new running vest, a box of carbohydrate gels and a box of dried fruit. This week Martyn wants me to practice fueling up during my sessions. Up until now I’ve only really been popping a few haribo sweets from about the halfway point but after chatting to Martyn, he wants me having gels and dried fruit from about 20 minutes in and every 20 minutes until I finish. This meant buying a running vest, as the camelback I’ve been using only has minimal storage in the back, which isn’t great for when I’m on the move. So I went for an Aonijie pack, which has a hydration bladder in the back and pockets for my gels, fruit, phone etc in the front. Whilst I waited for all that to arrive from Mr Amazon man, I focused on the mid week sessions I had in store. Two short 1 hour sessions; 4 minutes running and 1 minute walking. The first session went great, I did 4.7 miles in an hour which I think was a good effort, considering it’s still warm weather. We visited the lake twice this week for a swim; the cross training is really helping; Keeping my muscles working, heart rate elevated but it’s less of an impact on my body. The lake is 200m long and so far we’ve managed 2.5 laps around it before the cold gets to us, but I’m hoping to work on that and gradually build up my time up in the water.

I was naughty towards the end of the week and ended up moving my second short session to week 26. I figured already doing a short run and 2 sessions in the lake was enough before taking on the usual big 3 hour session on Sunday. The running vest arrived in time, along with my gels and fruit and they’re an absolute game changer. The vest fits so well and feels really light, even with 1.5 liters of water in. The pockets are great too, there’s enough space for all of the things I need and it was great whilst out on my long 3 hour run/walk. I took my first energy gel around 20 minutes in and every 20 minutes after, with a few nibbles on dried strawberries in between to give me a good hit of glucose and fructose carbohydrates. Despite a few of the gels tasting gross (the orange one is the worst!), I was able to sustain my energy for the duration of my walk/run (4.5 minute walk and 5.5 minute run)…

Same again next week with the layout of training along with more pasta meals and probably a little 10 minute massage from Hannah to loosen up any niggles.

Wish me luck!

Siobhan x

Week 26:

A much quieter week in terms of long distance training; with the Queens funeral happening on Monday it meant that Ava wasn’t at school and I wasn’t at work and Guy had an extra day off too. So we spent time at home, enjoying just doing nothing, which rarely ever happens. This week has seen a shift in my approach to training; I’m now swimming more as it’s less of an impact on my body, but still great for strength and cardio. I did a run/walk mid week for an hour (4 mins running/1 min walking), a 1200m swim at the lake on the Thursday before work, followed up with the most  excruciating massage on my calf muscles from our physio Hannah, she actually bruised my calves, but they feel amazing now! On the Friday we then traveled up to Beck Hole in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and hiked up to the beautiful waterfall Thomason Foss for an icy swim in the plunge pool there. It was absolutely fantastic, cold, but the most exhilarating experience, listening to the steam trains on the tracks overhead and just enjoying being completely immersed in nature. The weekend plans were to do my usual 3 hour session, changing up the running/walking ratio again was scuppered slightly due to the old time of the month. The ladies reading this will know how debilitating and draining these types of days can be, so as frustrating as it is, I listened to my body, slowed everything right down and spent the weekend pottering about the cottage doing orders for my business and taking time to just rest. The 3 hour session has been pushed into week 26, which means they’ll be two 3 hour sessions to complete. (Insert nervous face emoji).

Tapering begins soon though and I’ve just come from talking with Martyn and discussing strategy for race day. My last 3 hour session is on Wednesday 5th October and from then on it’s super short sessions before finishing up with just a 3 mile walk 2 days before race day. To say I’m nervous is an understatement; I remember getting to this point in my last marathon training and thinking I’d not done enough. But it’s so easy to forget the hours I’ve put in over these past few months; everything tends to just mix into one but when you take the time to do the math it’s actually something like 551.27 miles I’ve done so far, not taking in the training I still have left or the actual marathon itself. So with just 19 days left, it’s all systems go!

Wish me luck!

Siobhan xx

Week 27:

Over 30 miles was covered this week; 2 half marathons and a short punchy 4.6 mile run in an hour. My muscles are tight though and the first 20 minutes of each session is spent pausing the watch and stretching out my legs, mainly my calves and shins. My left shin is painful to run on for the first half of each run. It’s the start of shin splints, I know because I’ve dealt with this kind of pain before. It’s a little too late now to take rest; as I sit and type this we are 13 days away from the race. All I can do now is try some strength training with my glutes and hips, try to stretch it out, ice it, heat it, massage it, get Hannah’s elbows in it and hope for the best. Martyn has also taught me how to tape my shin too, to help stabalise it whilst out training. Proper rest will come after the run and then I’ll look to do more strength training, as I would like to keep up my running/walking after the big day (I say that now, I may feel completely differently on Monday 17th)…

I think the hardest thing I’ve dealt with this past week is the mental strength; I’ve got a lot of self doubt that I really need to work on. I keep saying that I’m not aiming for a time and that I’m just aiming to finish it, but deep down if I get anything over 6 hours I’ll be a little bit crushed. I think it stems from the first time I ever ran the marathon; at the time I was working in my village shop and I remember going into work after the race and some of the customers were so awful about the time I got (6hrs 3 mins), scoffing at me asking if I’d walked the whole thing etc. I was already feeling so deflated with my time, I really let their comments effect me. I guess I still hold onto that feeling now, nearly 10 years on. It’s just shaking those thoughts loose and learning to believe in myself.

Another thing I’ve learnt from this week is that since changing up my diet to eat a lot cleaner, junk food no longer agrees with me. I found this out the hard way having had a double quarter pounder at McDonalds the day before a 3 hour session. Without going into too much detail, lets just say from about the halfway point I thought I was gonna have to dive into a bush and become one with nature… several times. But thankfully I managed to hold steady and finished 13.1 miles in 3 hours and 2 minutes. I’m not entirely sure the copious amounts of caffeine in the gels does anything for my gut either, so I may have to look to have less of them and more of an alternative. I hear the resealable fruit purée baby food pouches are a good shout. So maybe I’ll try them.

Coming into Week 28 now and this is the last full week of training; I’ve an 1hr 4min run/1 min walk session, another 3 hour session with a 3 min walk/7 min run and a Park Run with my niece on the weekend. After that, everything starts to taper down for the big day. I’ll definitely be heading to the lake to swim as the cold water is really helping my muscles, as well as the workout itself and I’ll be powering through some strengthening sessions.

I honestly can’t believe the marathon is less than 2 weeks away, I’m hell nervous but I’m excited all the same.

Until next week folks,

Siobhan xx 

Week 28:

What a week. Where to start? This week was the last full week of training, but I was careful not to overdo it with my shin still feeling a little sore. I had an hours run lined up which I did well in, despite my calf again feeling tight. I did have to stop a number of times to give it a stretch out but eventually it warmed up and I was able to do a decent distance in the time planned. On Wednesday I had some dry needling done on my shin by Lisa who also massaged out the bottom of my left foot where the tightness has been playing a part in my shin pain. Our new physio Lucy then did some deep tissue massage on my left calf. By the end of it all I felt like I’d been under a road roller.

Towards the end of the working week I had my last 3 hour run/walk this time at a ratio of 3 min walk/7 min running. I decided instead of going all the way to Holme Upon Spalding Moor and back, I would just do laps of the local track Dingle Dell. I’ve not ventured down this way until now because through the warmer months it’s rife with horseflies and mosquitoes. This time of year now is quiet, with the odd dog walker out. Despite it being a pretty mundane session, going past the same dead pigeon countless times and the heavens opening half way through,I managed 13.5 miles in the 3 hours. I felt good and happy. Disaster struck though en route home from picking Ava up from school; she was adamant she couldn’t make the 2 minute walk home without wetting herself, so we had to take a quick dive into the wild so she could go. I picked her up as I usually do in these situations but I didn’t bend my knees and whilst she was mid flow I felt this awful crunch in my lower back and nearly dropped her. The pain was bad, I knew this wasn’t just a slight pull, it was radiating into my tailbone and across my glutes. I got home and put ice on it almost straight away. I was in pain with in most of the night, unable to find a comfortable sleeping position. I text Lisa in the early hours telling her what had happened and she messaged the following day saying she’d come round and take a look at it. On Saturday Ava was out for the day with my sister, so I had time to just lie down and get heat on it. Lisa arrived with Nathen in the afternoon, with flowers, iced coffee, painkillers, chocolate and her healing hands. She got to work on my back, trying to release off the muscles that were rigid. A painful process but necessary. The following morning I got up in crazy pain, a mixture of soreness from the treatment and the injury itself. I was crying it hurt that much. Thankfully my friend Susie stepped in and took Ava for the day so I could again take the time to rest up and have yet more treatment from Lisa. This time around they came armed with the biggest chocolate muffin and good conversation to take my mind off the situation. Essentially what’s happened is the muscles have seized up to protect my body from doing itself anymore damage, thus limiting movement. Lisa’s work has then been to release it off with the help of anti inflammatories and the hot water bottle. The good thing is Lisa doesn’t seem majorly concerned about my injury and is certain she can get me to that start line. She encoraged me to get out and walk, not to stay still for too long. So I have just 5 and a bit days left to get sorted, to sleep, to eat and prep for the big day. I’ll sign off here and hopefully will have some good news for you next week. Wish me luck.

Until then, see you soon.

Siobhan xx

Week 29 (Race week):

This was without a doubt the longest week ever. After pulling my back at the end of the previous week I spent this week either having treatment on it, lying with a hot water bottle on it, sitting in hot baths and popping paracetamol. All my tapering training plans went out the window and I was moving about as slowly as possibly in case I strained anything else. It was a really emotional few days; they do say that when you have a massage it can release a lot of pent up emotion. Well I was pretty much having one every other day so you can imagine how teary I was. I even burst into tears at my friend’s little girl’s birthday party (not ideal), but thankfully I had a lot of support from everyone. People leaving gifts on my doorstep and sending me lovely texts.

I had my last treatment with Hannah on the Friday, where she took it up a notch with her elbows. It was painful but I felt good afterwards and felt like I was gaining a little more movement back. On Saturday my sister came to pick Ava up to have her for the night and bring her to the race (as my husband Guy is currently abroad on exercise) and I spent the rest of the day packing my kit; gels, bib number, re-lacing my shoes etc and resting as much as I could. Lisa came to tape up my back on the evening and then I got yet another hot bath (christ knows what our water bill is going to be like this month!) and then attempted to get an early night. 10pm came, 12am came, 3am came and it turned out my brain was happy to continue whirring on all night and my heart rate was staying at around 96bpm resting rate. It was like a form of torture; not being able to just shut off and sleep...

Sunday 16th October (Race Day):

I think in the end I had about an hours sleep before my alarm went off and it was time to get up and get sorted. I’d made a jar of peanut butter overnight oats for breakfast which were lovely and so easy to make! Once I’d got ready and packed the car, I set off at 7.45am to Elvington Airfield where the Park and Run was. I completely underestimated how many people would be turning up. There were hundreds of cars all queued up down the old runway itself and looping round to where they were all parking. The buses were all going to and fro from the race village, one after the other. Despite it being so busy I didn’t have a long wait to get parked and get a seat on the bus. It was well organized.

Once I got to the race village the nerves were really starting to kick in. I met up with my colleague Millie who was also running the marathon and we did a quick scout out and dropped off our stuff at the baggage area before a quick pee stop and then onto the start line. We cut it pretty fine that’s for sure; All the queuing we did meant that we had just short of 10 minutes before the gun went. Kinda nice though as it was less time to wait about and become even more nervous.

The gun went and the crowds gradually moved up to and over the start line. I think out of the whole route, this was the bit I was dreading most. From running it previously I remember it being too much for the senses. Running through busy York with crowds and music etc. I found it really hard to not be overwhelmed with it all which then had affected my pace. I reminded myself this time to keep my head down, stay focused and just keep to the plan of 6 minutes running and 4 minutes walking. Once we started pushing out towards Stockton Lane/Sandy Lane people started to spread out a little and I didn’t feel the pressure as much. At the 5 mile flyover (which I actually ran up with ease this time) I had my first mummy supporter waiting. Alex, who was tracking my run on the app is one of Ava’s friends mums and has been a great friend to me too. She’s in the military and so just “gets” what my life is like and how difficult it has been to juggle Guy being away with training and Ava etc. She joined me for 5 minutes or so for a little bit of pep talk before disappearing and reappearing at around 10 miles. By this point my hip had started to ache, which is something that has never happened before but could be a knock on effect from the back injury. Weak hips have been my problem in the past and I really should’ve worked harder in my strength training with them. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I’d also been just overtaken by the race official 6 hour pacers, so I knew that whatever time I was now going to get was over 6 hours. I did shed a few tears whilst Alex joined me for that short stretch of the route (after deserting her car in Sand Hutton to reach me). “It’s just one foot in front of the other Siobhan. You’ve got this. You can do this.” She was a wonderful boost of moral and departed shortly after, with me feeling more positive.

Between 11 and 12 miles the laces on my right trainer were starting to hurt the top of my foot and I had to pull over several times to adjust them. I’d bought lock tie laces because my previous normal ones kept loosening off. These laces were good, but I think I’d just done them a little too tight and obviously should’ve tested them before race day. The road along Buttercrambe Moor Wood was beautiful, had I not been enduring a long distance race I would’ve spent the time to really soak up the autumnal beauty; the colours, the smells and the faint sound of a buzzard overhead (yes I’d taken my headphones out, my music was irritating me). After I’d passed the 12 mile point I was joined by my good friend and boss Lisa and her fiancé Nathen. A quick cuddle and some more tears shed and it was onward from there. This time walking more than running. Nathen joined me for section of the route up to Stamford Bridge where I passed a couple of my friends from gym days (one of whom was my bridesmaid) around 13.5 miles in. They were shouting and cheering and handed me some jelly babies! After Stamford was the long old stretch up to Dunnington on the A166 where my family and friends were waiting to cheer for me. By this point Nathen had gone and I was on my own dealing with a blustery headwind under a blue Autumn sky. I walked the majority of this bit, I didn’t want exert energy running on an incline when I needed to retain as much energy as possible to finishthe race (bearing in mind I’d only had an hours sleep). Once I was nearing Dunnington I passed Millie going the other way ( technically around 2 miles in front) we had a quick cuddle, exchanged some positive encouragement and carried on. I could see my niece Lacey at Dunnington first, she ran alongside me until I got to a whole bunch of people waiting; My sister Jenna, my niece Libby, my daughter Ava, my best friend Susie, her little boy Teddy and my wonderful friend Becki with her 3 girls, plus Milo my mum and dad’s blue staffy puppy. It was an overwhelming feeling of emotion and again I cried. Susie and Lacey speed walked with me for a little while before I made my way down to 18 miles. Coming back up to 19 miles and my mindset was completely changed; I felt strong and positive. I’d accepted the fact I was going to finish this in over 6 hours so now it was just a case of maintaining a good run/walk pace for the duration of the course. After a quick kiss and cuddle with little Ava and hello from my Mum on FaceTime  from her holiday in Portugal at 19 miles, I carried on to the Holtby turnoff where the miles continued to tick down.

My watch fell quiet for a bit with messages from people, but by that point my mind was in a good place and I was able to self motivate. I marched past folk who had overtaken me previously and I ran parts of the route I felt strong enough for. I kept a pace just short of 15 minute miles; really stomping it out with a fast walk and pushing past the pain I felt in my hip. At Osbaldwick at 24 miles Lisa and Nathen reappeared and this time Lisa joined me for a mile. We were laughing at the fact supporters were applauding the both of us when it was just me who was clearly hanging out. Lisa left me just as we turned onto Hull road and the last stretch of the race. I ran most of this until I reached the bottom of the hill at the petrol station and swapped to stomping my way up there. Support at this point was great, lots of people still out and cheering racers on. It was wonderful. As I was just nearing the top of the hill my coach and fellow colleague Martyn appeared, shouting my name and gave me that last boost I needed for the final 200m. I started to run, as fast as my legs could go, I could hear the commentators saying my name as I gave myself that final push. Let me say that finish line has never felt so good! I instantly burst into tears. What a journey that was. In fact what a journey this whole thing has been...

I can’t tell you what all this has done for my body and my mind. At the start of all this my mental health was bad; my anxiety was ruling my days and I was frustrated that could never find clothes that would fit through the weight I’d gained over the past 2 years. But getting outside, breathing in the fresh air and having a challenge to aim towards has been my god send. I’ve seen the seasons go from winter to spring, to summer and now autumn. I trained in snow and through a heatwave and it’s been nothing short of magical.

I want to take this last bit of the blog to say a huge thank you to everyone who has followed my journey over the past 7 months, to everyone who came out to watch on the day and to the team here at Hands That Heal for everything they have done with training, physio and support. Martyn has been a great coach and has steered me the whole way. Lisa has been a star and if it wasn’t for all the help she gave me in that last week, I wouldn’t have even been at that start line. She also cleaned my dishes and cooked my dinner on the evening after the race! What an angel she is!

So this is me signing off this blog. The couch to 26.2 miles in 7 months; I’m living proof that if you want something bad enough, it can be done. I hope this maybe now inspires you to challenge yourself, to push yourself to the limit and do something just for you.

Siobhan xx