The Reluctant Runner - Blog

This week was a new experience for me in the world of running! Another one you cry?! This week, my fellow buggers (RUNNING BUGgers, obviously, oops, no offence meant!) This new experience? I was a marathon spectator! And wow. Just wow. What a day....

You may have guessed that miles have been few and far between this week. There has been 3 runs, all less than 2 miles as I try to give my heel time to heal (ha ha, sorry couldn’t resist). I have however admitted defeat and am off to the physio later...

Oh I wish I could run a marathon every week! I wish I had the ability, the strength, the time and the money to pop out every weekend and knock out another 26.2! For a whole week I could have conquered the world! (I couldn’t bend my legs to sit...

Ahhh, Brighton. At times I thought the day would never come. At times I was sure the day would come, but that I wouldn’t be in one piece when it did! But there I was, Friday 13th, appropriately, preparing for my flight to Gatwick (and celebrating...

Biting the bullet, taking the plunge, in at the deep end…none of these things sound good do they? But, like it or not, this is it, the last blog before the big day. Next week I will either be regaling you with tales of Brighton…or you will...

Taper week number 2 has NOT gone according to plan. My youngest son was struck down by one of the most explosive bugs I have ever witnessed on Saturday (just as we were about to go out for a curry with family, not that I’m holding a grudge. Much...

What a week. Since I last posted I have added another half marathon to my running CV, so to speak, and officially started my taper . I envisioned this week, writing of the joys of reduced mileage and the fact that I would have soooo much free time...

This week has been so busy, I genuinely can’t believe it isn’t over yet. Week 15, or ‘THE BIG ONE’ as it should be known (and always in capital letters!). Both times that I have started a marathon training programme I have always...

Today on my long run I started to think about the terminology we all use when we start to pound the pavements (or the tread for that matter). I am still not entirely comfortable with being called ‘a runner’ myself and that is what started...

I thought I had discovered this week why more men seem to run marathons than women. It’s the support team thing I decided! You see, this weekend I fitted in a hilly 5 miler on a Sunday – this is unusual for me on 2 fronts… 1. I hate...

Lighter mornings, brighter evenings, daffodils? They can mean only one thing…marathon time is nearly here! Suddenly on my ‘sorta long’ run today I realised that the worst of winter is (hopefully) behind us and that we have made it through...

I am trying very hard to remain calm. This week I printed off my ‘final instructions’ for Brighton 2012. It all felt a little bit wrong as the furthest I’ve run so far is 16.5 miles. As I finished that run earlier this week I have to...

When does an excuse become a reason? When is it OK to miss a run or to cut one short? This is something I really struggle with, for a couple of reasons. The first is that I do LOVE a nice chart and Hal’s Novice 1 has pride of place on my fridge...

The last couple of weeks have seen me trying a new cross training class – Body Balance at my local Fitness First gym. Taking my cross training as seriously as my miles this time round has been a new approach for me and I’m really hoping it...

Tommy used to work on the docks Unions on strike He’s down on his luck It’s tough, so tough… WHAT?! Bear with me, please. This has been a big week in the world of the Reluctant Runner. This was (cue drum roll)… Half...

I do hope you’re not reading this if you’re having a bad week, because I have had a really GREAT week and I know, from MANY previous experiences, that when you’re struggling there is nothing more irritating and off putting than someone...

I’m not sure just how many people think the way that I do…no rude responses pleases! You see, for me, one of the biggest perks about all this running is the food. I’m not talking about jelly beans and protein bars and all those other...

Ooh, I’ve been a brave girl this week. I did something that in all honesty made me feel 25 years younger. What wonder cream was this, you may well cry? What new fabulous treatment? Oh no, no such technological breakthroughs for me. I did the unheard...

I am well aware that at this time of year there are roughly 73 billion blogs about New Year’s resolutions . Mine is not one of them. Except it kind of is, sorry! You see, those of us who are lucky enough (or misguided enough?) to have signed...

Like most of us at this time of year, I've been finding it hard finding time this week. Without sounding too much like an excuses machine...there's been school plays and Christmas shopping and Christmas do's and my son's bronchitis and...

This week I had no doubt what I would write about. In my first blog, I promised (or threatened!) that I would explain my reasons for taking up marathon running and today seemed the right day to do it. Why? Because on this day 23 years ago, my fabulous...

It's been kind of a rough week, running wise. I saw the physio and got acupuncture right in the bone of my ankle, mmm, that was nice! I was only ordered to take 24 hours rest and then had the all clear to get back on those roads - I was just a lazy...

This week I took on a 3 mile run (no big deal I hear you cry). However, such were the conditions that I seriously had to consider whether to start my Garmin and monitor my pace…or learn the front crawl! MAN, it was WET! And COLD! And WINDY...

I'm not talking about the fancy pace-improving repeats that some brave and talented souls undertake. I'm not talking about the 756 th run of 'Allo 'Allo either. I'm talking about those oh so familiar routes that we all do, week...

All is good in the world of the plodder! Since my physio appointment last week I have been a very good girl and done exactly as I'm told (though I'm not sure she recommended copious amounts of gin & tonic at the local rugby club formal, but...