Thursday, June 21, 2007

Training for the marathon.

Day nine of the great Irish annual summer flood. 'Tis with a heavy heart that I cybersit here before ye. For those of you who know, or indeed even care, today is long run day, a fortnightly time that has been known to strike fear into the heart and muscles of this fatcat.
Oh I remember well the day when -owing to some synapse failing stupidity- I said 'I think I'll do the marathon this year'. Why did I not take heed of the gibbering voices swirling above my head, of the dark clouds that rumbled in, of the large raven that perched on the bough next to where I stood, who said 'Caw foookin' blimey guvner!'
Why indeed?
Today's run is a hilly affair, and by hilly I mean it's not on the treadmill. You see chumleywarners, I have discovered something about the old tready, it is a sneaky bit easier to run on it than say, oh the roads. It's self propelling for one, and bouncy. Now that's all very doodly deep, but it means fuggledy garp on race day. See, I noticed after the Flora Run that my shinny shin shins ached a bit the next day and also my thighs. And it dawned on me that I'd better start splitting my training up a bit to include actual real life surfaces. I mean its not like I can set the treadmill up at the starting line up of the marathon and run 26.2 miles on it there, now can I?
So bearing this in mind I have been splitting my runs between the park and now the roads. Monday I did a very easy 6.5 miles and I plan to do an easy run Satdee too, prolly about 10k in the gym. But today it's that section of training where I concentrate a bit more on the endurance. Now, my longest run up to now been in the gym and it was 20k. Today I am going to see if I can aim for that but on the road.
If I don't return it is because I have keeled over somewhere in a ditch. Or my legs detached themselves at the foot of some hill or other and quit.
If that happens you are all to have a piss up in my honour. There should be rum involved, and possibly teary fights and some singing. Oh, and an arrest or two never hurt anybody.

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26 Comments:

Blogger aquaasho said...

Oh good luck with the long run. This is great running weather (goldilocks weather- not too hot, not too cold, just right and all that). Enjoy!
I find a great way of measuring my fitness is always to run the day after a long run, even if it's just for 30 minutes or so. The first time you do this you're knackered but eventually you get used to it and feel good. It apparently teaches your body to "run on empty" because the day after a long run your body has depleted much of its glycogen stores. (Or so I'm told).
Sorry about going on, when you post about running I just can't help myself!

11:46 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

No No! Don't apologise, tell me more, like what's the best way to replace those glycogen stores.
Hmmmmm, run tomorrow you say, 30 mins. Well, okay, I try it, but perpare to be called all sorts of names if I have to be helped off the treadmill tomorrow.

12:05 p.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

Treadmill? Pshaw! There's no doubt Missus Fatpuss that you're a very sick woman. I recommend you deal with this by taking your long run up Tibradden or Ticknock from Marlay Park.

12:58 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

Yes, the impact gets you. At least your knees are still strong.
Good luck!

1:49 p.m.  
Blogger grimsaburger said...

Sweet Jesus almighty, I can't fathom running four miles, much less 26. I just started running last December, took a three-month break when I was in Ireland, and started again in May. You're absolutely right about the treadmill though--I was up to 2.5 miles every other day on that thing, and then I went outside when the weather got nice and a mile and a half just about did me in. I'm back to running exclusively outdoors now, and have made my way to a comfortable 1.75 miles. I'm such a loser...a wheezy, arthritic loser...

1:53 p.m.  
Blogger Dr Maroon said...

I shall come to Dublin and throw fluids over you at various points along the way, then I shall wrap you in my silver blanket and take you out for a slap up steak dinner or mixed grill.

After that you can run the marathon.

I've missed you all

2:55 p.m.  
Blogger Pat said...

At the very least I hope you are getting the endomorphons? released in your brain that are supposed to make it bearable. It is an awful long way. Best of luck!

4:05 p.m.  
Blogger John Mc said...

Watch your knees!

He said knowingly.

Turns out I have to have surgery on mine. Torn meniscus. There goes my race :(

4:18 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Top tip, don't make the mistake I made. I had been used to doing most of my running on a treadmill too. On race day, I ran mostly on the right hand side of the road near the verge. As there was quite a camber on the road, this resulted on too much pressure on my right foot. After the race, 3 toenails fell off on this foot whereas my left foot didnt even have a blister. Luckily, they grew back and I'm not too deformed.
Good luck with the run.

4:29 p.m.  
Blogger Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

Torn menisci, missing toenails?! It's brutal out there on the roads.

the large raven that perched on the bough next to where I stood, who said 'Caw foookin' blimey guvner!'

Ha! I loves you, so I do, fmc.

4:41 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Well alrighty then. I got a bit knackered for a while around about the sixteen K mark, but then Candi Statiion kicked in and I was...well not exactly energised but I plodded on.
And here I am. ALIVE! Wet, chaffed and a bit plain old fooking exhausted, but ALIVE! Who needs those two pieces of skin just under my biceps anyway. And oh how nice of Mother Nature to provide a good solid power shower every two miles or so.
I didn't need that newly formed epidermis anyway.
Here, what's all this about toenails falling off? I would like to hold on to them. Sounds frightfully blee to me.
Bad luck John about the knees. Bloody painful. Will you have to be off your feet for yonks?
Sodding treadmill, so deceptive, so warm and dry and deceptive.
Have a West Coast cooler? Don't mind if I do. You'll have to fetch it for me Paramour, I don't appear to have the gumption left in my legs.
Oh why isn't Thursday Friday? it should be.

6:06 p.m.  
Blogger John Mc said...

Nice one FMC you fit fiddle you.

No it doesn't seen like I will be off my feet for long. I have to have an MRI next week, and dependent on that keyhole surgery. Basically, it's like the meniscus has a little burr where I tore it, and like a hangnail, the doc goes in and clips it. He said that recover is very fas, there is a very outside chance that I could do the bike race, but very unlikely. I am very bummed about it, given the time I put in training. All because of Yoga!

6:27 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Poor old thing, I hope it all goes well.

6:46 p.m.  
Blogger Twenty Major said...

All because of Yoga!

We all know the real problem is your dolphin tattoo.

9:10 p.m.  
Blogger John Mc said...

True Twenty, true. The fates are smacking me for such a horrendous lapse of judgment.

9:23 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Oh we've all had those John. Each and every one of us. Isn't that right Meester Major??

9:34 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

Well done, FMC. You have earned bragging rights and a much deserved rest. I could walk that far, but run? Hell no.
My smoker's lungs wouldn't hear of it.
Rum and cokes for you!

10:33 p.m.  
Blogger aquaasho said...

Well done FMC, you sound like you got through that long run just fine! You also sound like you eat healthy anyway so no worries about glycogen (drinking lots of water helps). Thanks for recommending that cereal from Superquinn BTW, just had a bowl and it's great stuff!

And it's true about losing those toe nails but you can always buy fake ones in boots for €7.50. ;-)

10:59 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Ahahaha, yes, I got through it just fine, so fine in fact that I tried to get up from the sofa ten minutes ago and nothing happened. Well nothing apart from me going 'Yeoooooowoowwwssseeeeet.'
I'm going to bed now, that's if I can make my way upstairs. Right now that seems like climbing Everest.

11:53 p.m.  
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