I DID IT.  In an official time of 04:16:11.  I finished 15,027th out of 36,522 runners, was the 3,069th woman out of 12,099 and 1,841st out of 7,414 runners aged 18-39. Not bad for my 1st marathon. I say 1st as if there are going to be more!!!

A huge thank you to everyone for supporting me through sponsorship, with your texts and emails and to those who showed up on the day. You all helped spur me on and really did make a massive difference.

 

THIS IS IT NOW. Less than 48 hours until Marathon Day.

Slightly nervous as it is going to be 21 degrees but light showers are anticipated which will be a joy.

All my prep is done, toenails removed (yes had to pull a toenail off last weekend - the first and hopefully the last!), now its time to just chill, relax and enjoy the build up and the race itself.

Thanks to everyone for your support. It's kept me going through the sun, wind, rain, sleet and snow and will keep me going on the day,  I just hope I make everyone proud.

 

Count down to race day - only 6 days left to go! In fact this time in 6 days I will almost be half way round the course, god willing. Can't wait although getting really nervous. All the prep is down now, just need to try and sit back and enjoy it all.

First casualty of my running at the weekend - one of my toenails came off, painless but totally gross! Let's hope the other 9 last the distance!

 

Ran the Kingston Breakfast Run yesterday. 16 miles. Had a brilliant run thanks to ibroprufen at the start! Up to mile 14 that is when my knee went. Bloody agony. Managed to hobble the last 2 miles but really annoyed as I'd been going great guns until then. Think the ibroprufen just wore off as I only took one. Note to self, take at start and during marathon. Made such a difference on my body felt and how much I could push myself. Felt like I was flying!

Weekly milage: 16 miles (race time: 2 hrs 30 mins 37 secs)

 

Down to the final few weeks now. It is Thursday of Week 13 and got the Kingston Breakfast Run this Sunday - 16 miles which I am looking forward to as it will be my first run with other people. Bit nervous though as there are no toilets on the course! Also been given some advice about my knee. Told to have 1 ibroprofen before the start of the race and 1 at the end and that should help with any swelling but also is supposed to help with the build up of lactic acid and aid recovery aftwards - that was advice from my boss' friend who is a doctor!

 

End of Week 12 and only 4 weeks until the marathon!!! Where did the time go? Slight setback - I have officially got an injury - so much for listening to my body! Been having pains in my left knee which my sports massage has told me is caused by in inflamation brought about by me having a weaker left hip which is causing strain on my knee. He's gone to work on getting rid of the swelling but has told me to cut back on the running to just my long run on the Sunday.

Managed 2 hours on Sunday. Knee started playing up after about 20 minutes which is not good but it did ease off at times. Think I need to a) stop obsessing about it and b) try and run more in my hips - seems to take off some of the strain.

Weekly milage: 13.17 miles

 

Completed Week 11 and finally able to start taking it easy. Well, easier. Which is good as suffering from fatigue now. Think just the weekly churn of 4 runs is strating to become a chore.

Doing more gym work now and cutting back on the week runs. Finding my legs need the rest and one thing I have learnt through all this is to listen to your body.

Weekly milage: 18.84 miles

 

At the end of Week 10 and I am glad to say I have run my furthest distance in training - a whopping 18.03 miles. How shocking did I feel at the end of it? Just the thought of running for another hour and a half more fills me with dread. I honestly felt like yesterday there is no way I am going to be able to do a marathon. I'm banking on the crowd support getting me through those final 8 miles. It's not my stamina that's the issue, it's the sheer pain in my hips, knees, calfs, ankles and feet that are the issue. Ever step genuinely is incruciating. I do not know how Eddie Izzard to 49!

Weekly milage: 29.96 miles

 

Week 9 was tough. Or should I say Sunday was tough. Had to run for 2 hours 50 (almost the longest I will have to in training) and ran to Greenwich Park and back). It's not a bad run but the amount of hills really took their toll. And by the last 30 minutes my legs were in bits.  Hard, hard, hard. Managed to complete 16 miles 84 so just shy of a 10 minute mile pace, but I think the lack of hills and the crowd support means I will be able to make up the lost time. The Kingston Breakfast run in 4 weeks will give me a good idea as to whether I am with my pace - my first  run with other people!!!

Weekly milage: 26.22 miles (despite missing a run this week)

 

End of Week 8 and the miles are really starting to build up. Decided to run one of my interval runs in the gym this week to give my joints a bit of a rest. Really seemed to help. Wish I could do more on the treadmill but it is sooooooo boring. Don't know how my sister managed to run 3 hours straight on one when she was training for the marathon.

Felt proud of myself yesterday as managed my first ever 2.5hr run. 15.35 miles. Bloody ached and still daunted by the fact that I have to do another 11 miles on top of that, but its amazing how much your body can take really.

Week 8 mileage: 32.55 miles

(Just noted in the last 8 weeks I have ran just under 200 miles!)

 

End of Week 7 and I seem to be back on track although the tightness I have been experiencing in my left leg has got to me, mentally more than physically. So took a slight break from the training mid week to save myself for my half marathon yesterday. Seemed to do the trick as leg much looser.  Managed to complete a half marathon in       2 hrs 6 mins 5 secs which given the fact it was raining and windy the entire time plus I had a number of hills to contend with, was not bad.

Weekly mileage: 17.53 miles

 

 

Managed to redo Week 6 without any hitch. Fortunately I fell ill at a time when my longest run was only 1hr 45. Looking ahead now though I have 2.5hrs plus to face every weekend, pretty much until race day. Lucky lucky me!

Concentrating on the task at hand and keeping my body in shape. Feel less tired now as my body gets used to the miles and amazingly I still am enjoying the buzz of running.

Especially loving the fact I am toning up - legs have never looked so good!

Week 6 mileage: 26.47 miles

 

 

It's Monday 15th February and sadly I have been unable to run the last week due to flu followed by a chesty cough and finished off nicely with a cold. I did run 30 minutes in the gym yesterday just to see how I felt and the good news is that I am better and hope to be able to continue with my training this week.

So Week 6 starts here. Please no more germs for me!!!

 

It's now Wednesday 10th February and it has been a funny old 10 days.

Last week's training finished well. Not only did I manage my first 2 hour run but also completed just shy of a half marathon - 12.92 miles. Bit gutted as my pace was off that of last Sunday's but admittedly the course I took to Crystal Palace park was a lot hillier. Proud of myself for coming this far. Never thought I would make it even to hear.

Sunday I attended a Meet the Experts event organised by the London Marathon. Really helpful advice on training, best ways to avoid injury, nutrition and the race day itself, what to expect, getting there, the course and most importantly, the finish line! Felt totally buzzy after that and ready for the 11 challenging weeks ahead.

And then Monday / Tuesday came and I've come down with flu. So that's ruled out training for the time being. Feel wretched right now but if I give myself a few days of recuperation I'll be back on track in no time. Just mind clear if you see me for the time being!

Week 5 mileage: 29.44 miles

 

Monday 1st February - spoke too soon. Tightness in my left thigh muscle and I'm pretty sure that I have a blister under 2 of my toenails - not pleasant. Plus I feel like I've not slept in about a month. I didn't realise how tired it would make me, despite getting my 8 hours sleep every night!

 

End of Week 4 and I'm feeling decidedly tired. But that's hardly surprising as I've just finished a 1hr 45 minute run, covering 12.17 miles. Almost a half marathon and I'm very chuffed with myself. I'm going to need to start upping my food intake though as I can feel my body starting to suffer from fatigue and I don't want the injuries to follow. No major aches and pains as yet thank goodness, some tigtness in my calves but mainly just damn hungry!!! What a great excuse to eat more......worked out I need an extra 2,800 calories a week no. Lucky I love my food really!

Week 4 mileage: 28.25 miles

 

Monday 25th January and end of Week 3. Mixed bag this week. Went out Friday night  - not a good move. Late night, or should I say early morning, meant I had to sacrafice my Saturday morning run - was supposed to be a 30 minute hill climb.

The up was that I did manage my Sunday long run - 1.5 hrs, just short of 10 miles, so over all my training is on track. Sporting a fantastic blood blister on my left big toe mind, not sure though whether that is down to the long run or Friday night's dancing!

Week 3 mileage: 18.78 miles

 

Well, it's now Week 2 of my training and Sunday 17th January, and things seem to be progressing well. Having started at only 3 miles on day 1 I am now up to 8 miles on day 14.  A few aches and pains along the way but feet still feeling fine, toe nails in check and knees are not hating me, yet!

Have a feeling though it's going to start getting tough now as the miles start mounting up and the novelty of running 4 times a week starts to wear off. I'm also entering unknown territory, having run no more than 10k before or 6.22 miles. On Sunday I ran 8 miles, next Sunday it will be 10 miles and so on. Oh well, time to nuckle down and remember what a fantastic cause I am running for. Trying to focus on each day as it comes as the thought of running 26 miles and 365 yards scares me a bit.

Week 2 mileage: 23.26 miles

 

Week 1 of my training. It's 7th January and having eaten and drunk to excess over the Christmas period and not run in about a month, the first few days of training have proven fun, although not as bad as I thought it would be. The snow's proving a challenge but it also makes it rather pretty running outside and something to focus on. Sadly I had to resort to running in the gym this evening or risk being buried in the snow but hopefully the weather will improve in the coming days - got to get those miles under my belt!

Week 1 mileage: 18 miles

 

 

Hello and thanks for visiting my Justgiving page.

Every year I watch the marathon and think what an amazing achievement it is. Every year I say to myself one of these days I will enter, preferably before I am too old or have too many commitments. And every year I say to myself "maybe next year".

But all that changed 6 months ago when I decided that it was time I bit the bullet and entered. I am after all 31 and for me, it is now or never.

Six months on here I am with a place on St Christopher Hospice's team. And in all honesty, I am pooing my pants! The reality of running 26.457 miles, when the furthest I’ve ever run is 7 miles, is starting to sink in.

So, without further ado its time to kick start my training and get cracking with the fundraising for my chosen charity, St Christopher Hospice.

St Christopher's exists to promote and provide skilled and compassionate palliative care of the highest quality, serving a population of 1.5 million across south east London, Bromley and Croydon and currently caring for over 2,000 dying individuals every year.  St Christopher’s cares for individual patients with life limiting illnesses and supports their families and friends. They treat patients as individuals and strive to understand and meet their unique needs, in the hospice or, increasingly, in the familiar surroundings of their own homes. 

It costs over £13 million each year to maintain St Christopher’s services.  As they receive just 28% of their income from the NHS, it is only with external support that they can maintain their services and continue to offer the free of charge to patients and families.

So whatever you can give, however small, will go a long way to helping me reach my £2,500 target and helping support such a worthy charity.

Please do come back and visit my page again as I will be updating it with news of my training and fundraising progress.

Thanks for your support,

Emma

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.