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London Marathon Blog: Elspeth Dransfield
Hello! My name is Elspeth Dransfield and this year my new years resolution is to complete the London Marathon in the hope of raising money for the charity Asthma UK.
Hello! My name is Elspeth Dransfield and this year my new years resolution is to complete the London Marathon in the hope of raising money for the charity Asthma UK.I was accepted as part of the Asthma UK team at the end of October and have been easing myself into training ever since. The new year has arrived and so things have become more serious as the Marathon on the 22nd April approaches.
I am going to be keeping a fortnightly blog of my progress in the sixteen weeks leading up to the marathon on the Grantham Journal website. I will be looking at running schedules, equipment and nutrirtion amongst other things that I will need to consider before the big day.
I was diagnosed with asthma when I was three and so it is something that has affected me for as long as I can remember. Today 5.2 million people in the UK have asthma with 1 in every 10 children being affected, 1 of these asthma sufferers dies every 7 hours from this condition.
Blog intro
Firstly, I'll introduce myself …..
I am 22 years old and my family home is in Grantham. I am a student of Politics and French at the University of Bristol, but am currently on my year abroad so I am doing a work placement in Paris.
It has been a dream of mine to do the London marathon since I was a child. I did a lot of running when I was at school, but after a leg injury in my first year at university, I have not done much since. Nevertheless, I decided to try for a place with the Asthma UK team, and was delighted when at the end of October I was accepted. In November I started my training, and was very scared when after ten minutes I found myself out of breath on my first run! Gradually though I built up ten minutes to twenty, twenty to thirty and from there up to an hour. I am now a lot more confident about the prospect of the 16 week training programmes for the marathon.
My aim is to do the marathon in a time around the four hour mark. That may prove to be very optimistic and the reality is I will be ecstatic just to cross the finish line, but if I don't have a goal, I know that I won't do any training!
So here goes……………………
BLOG ONE:
January 1st – January 14th
The first thing that I have to come up with is a training plan. The start of the year leaves me with exactly sixteen weeks until the start of the marathon. Luckily there are a lot of training plans around to choose from. My target is to complete the marathon in about four hours, so having this aim helped me to narrow down the selection of possible plans to follow. The main choice then, was whether to do a plan which tells me how log to run for, or a plan which tells me a set distance to run. I am quite lazy, so I know that if I did a plan which told me to run for 60 minutes every Monday for example, I would go as slowly as I could for those 60 minutes! The choice then was obvious, so I picked a plan that tells me exactly how far I have to run each day. The plan I found was on the Runners World website, and each week it tells you exactly what to do, perfect!
Below is the first two weeks of the programme:
January
1 3 miles slow
2 REST
3 4 miles slow
4 2 miles steady
5 REST
6 3 miles easy
7 7 miles slow
8 REST
9 1 mile jog, 2 x 1.5 recovery jog, 1 mile jog
10 5 mile slow
11 1 mile jog, 2 mile brisk, 1 mile jog
12 REST
13 3 miles easy
14 7 miles slow
The schedule starts off nicely with some slow and steady runs, and I was very happy when already on the second day I was allowed to 'REST'. The longer Sunday runs seemed quite scary when I first looked at the plan. The hardest part really is just getting yourself out of the door! Once I got started I was surprised to find that the distance went by quickly, and before I knew it I was back at home feeling smug!
Now I have my training plan, the next problem is where to run. When I'm at home in Grantham , there are always lots of places to go running outside. I really like to run in the grounds of Belton House, or a circuit up to Great Gonerby. However, I moved to Paris to do my work placement just before the New Year and so most of my running is going to have to be in a big city. I work during the week and when I finish it is dark already, so I decided I was going to have to join a gym for use during the week. At the weekends on the other hand, I plan to explore the streets of Paris on my runs, and hopefully not get too lost!
BLOG TWO:
15th – 28th January
Well, two weeks into my training programme and so far so good ! The initial novelty of feeling sporty is starting to wear off slightly, so to keep myself interested this fortnight, I have decided to play around with equipment. Ok, so not much equipment is really needed to go for a run, but when you look in the shops, it is amazing how much stuff is actually available for runners.
The most important item is of course footwear. The range of trainers on the market leaves you with plenty of choice- almost too much! The good news is, I found that most sports shops have a special running section, so I did at least have a starting point. After a chat with the shop assistant I opted for a pair of trainers with some cushioning and a lot of support, because the last thing I want is an injury!
Shoes sorted, the next problem is what to wear, I am going to be doing most of my training in the gym and the rest outside. I don't want to spend more money than I need to so multi purpose items are preferable. I have always run in a pair of jogging bottoms in the winter. I think I will do the marathon in shorts because it will be warmer by April (hopefully!), but for now I will stick with my joggers. There is a lot of lycra in the shops for runners. I am not really sure about lycra and am not too keen on trying it out. If anyone can tell me what the lycra look is all about then maybe I will give it a try, but I don't really want to buy a pair of lycra leggings unless they really are going to make a massive difference to my run!
T-shirts I thought would be easy, but when I looked around, I realised that I was very wrong! Firstly, there is your average cotton t-shirt, which to be honest I am quite happy with, but then of course to complicate things there are special t-shirts for runners. The difference seems to be in the fabric. These t-shirts are extra light-weight and claim to be able to keep you cool and dry throughout your run. Intrigued by these claims I bought one to try it out. At first I didn't notice a difference, but then after half an hour when normally my t-shirt is starting to attach itself to my skin, I was amazingly still feeling reasonably cool! A happy customer. Although for my short runs I will still keep with my faithful old cotton t-shirts because I don't plan to spend all of my wages on a new running wardrobe!
A few final purchases to make, the trickiest proving to be underwear, which also comes in special fabrics, and obviously being closest to your skin is very important. Lastly, after getting a few blisters from running in my normal everyday socks I bought some 'running' socks. I had had problems with my day socks bunching up, but these running socks stay close to your skin and cushion your toes against blisters….aah!
Training plan
Week 3:
BLOG THREE:
29th January – 11th February
The next thing that I have decided I need to focus on is nutrition. We are permanently bombarded with ways of eating well and how we can be healthier, so before I started to write this I always thought that I was quite healthy. However, since I have started this training programme, I have been feeling quite tired. I first assumed it was just a result of the exercise, but then a friend asked me if I had been eating differently since I had been training. I hadn't really thought about it and so I decided to keep a food journal for the day, it was quite scary!
Breakfast: expresso and French pastry
Lunch: omelette and chips, coconut flan, coffee
Afternoon: chocolate bar, three more cups of coffee throughout the afternoon
Late afternoon: coffee and a muffin
Early evening: corona and more chocolate!
Dinner: soup and toast, an apple
I had been snacking a lot more than I realised, on very tasty things, but not necessarily nutritious foods! I have also been moving house and so grabbing bits to eat on the move. My argument was that running makes you hungry and you've got to eat! Seeing it written down though made me realise that my lack of energy could well be related to my diet.
I decided to set five days aside to experiment a little:
On my first day I decided to replace my chocolate and cake fixes with a piece of fruit or a cereal bar. Healthy options really aren't as appealing and I was not impressed when my friend was tucking into an afternoon cake and I pulled out a cereal bar and a banana. I managed not to crack and was feeling good and so on day two I resolved to try and put an end to my caffeine habit. Apparently drinking too much coffee goes hand in hand with snacking on sugary foods as it alters blood sugar levels, causing energy swings. I do like a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, but the six cups I had been unconsciously swigging my way through did seem a little excessive. On my quest for more energy I put fruit and herbal teas to the test. I have never been impressed by anything other than a proper cup of tea and after trying some watery tasting strawberry tea, I was worried that there was no way of getting out of the caffeine trap. The lady in the cafeteria at my work saw my despair and suggested that I try a mint tea – it was actually quite good! I don't think that you can replace a proper cup of tea in the mornings, but apart from that I think my coffee mug is going to be filled with peppermint tea from now on. After my caffeine free day, I definitely felt less stressed and somehow less tired too!
Day three of my diet makeover and I decided to wake up with a healthy breakfast. Normally my breakfast involves me eating a nice French pastry and downing an expresso on arrival at work. I have been told many a time that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it was time to put it to the test. Running websites recommend waking up to a bowl of porridge with a banana. This is all very well, but I don't always have time to make a bowl of porridge in the mornings. I bought myself a packet of old fashioned oats anyhow, and threw a packet of sugar free muesli into my basket for those days when I was in hurry. I felt a lot healthier just buying these cereals so hopefully eating them would have super effects! Well, I was hunger free until lunch and I did feel quite perky. I'm not sure if it is the cereal or more a psychological effect, but the main thing is I did have energy, without any sugary snacks or caffeine to give ma an artificial boost.
Day four, and now I have my small vices under control it is time to concentrate on my main meals. Running means that you need to eat a lot of carbohydrates, like pasts, rice and baked potatoes. I like all of these as staples, but I need to introduce more fresh vegetables into my diet. Basically I need to cook more! I decided to make a healthy evening meal to sahre with my housemate and actually found that I enjoyed cooking and it made me appreciate my food a lot more.
As a runner you put a lot of stress on your bones and joints and so it is important that you eat enough dairy so that you get calcium and vitamin D. I read that you need three portions of dairy a day; I have milk on my cereal, but that is about it. I can't drink milk straight though, I find it disgusting!
On the runners world website it advises to ' think of dairy as a food rather than a drink and include some form in every meal.' I followed the advice and had a yoghurt with my lunch and then in the evening made a vegetable curry with a yoghurt base – easy!
At the end of my five days of healthy eating, I do honestly feel a lot more energised. I am worried that to maintain this I am going to have to constantly think about what I am eating. Although, it has become a lot more natural for me to snack on fruit rather than a cake and my coffee consumption has plummeted. I do not plan to over analyse everything I eat because it isn't possible to live like that. At he same time, making sensible food choices has certainly given me more energy and so hopefully will contribute to making me marathon fit!
Weeks 5 and 6 training:
BLOG FOUR:
12th February - 25th February
Some days the last thing that I want to do is to go for a run. Today is one of those days, so I am going to have a look at ways in which I can keep myself motivated. Someone once told me that the hardest part of a run is the first step out of the front door. I might disagree with this when I am half way through the marathon, but when it comes to training I think it is definitely true!
I think one of the best ways to get over this is to set up a routine. I have done most of my training in then early evening – straight after work. This way I do not really even think about the idea of going for a run, it just becomes part of my day. I also take my running kit with me to work so I get changed straight away and get on with it, trying to keep all negative thoughts away. However, this certainly does not work for me everyday, especially if it is already dark and cold when I leave work, or I have had a busy tiring day. These are the days when I really have to fight against my impulse of curling up in my bed!
A great way to stay motivated is to get your friends or family involved. Whenever I have been at home, thinking that I might be able to sneak a day off from my training, my dad has been there asking me where we are running to- not what I want to hear but when I am out with him running I always feel grateful for it! My friends have been great too, with my flat-mate always asking me how far I am running and when I am going to the gym- so I can't cheat and have a day off even if I really want to! My friends have often joined me at the gym or come for a run with me. This has really helped, for a start it actually makes me go when my motivation may be lacking and secondly it makes me work a bit harder as we push each other on.
I can't always find someone to help me though and there are days when I have had to force myself to train. I have been reading Paula Radcliffes autobiography and this has really helped to keep me inspired. Obviously she is a world class athlete and so my marathon performance will be incomparable with hers, but reading about her life and how hard she has worked definitely makes me want to put the effort in.
I have also had a look at the Runners World website and bought a few running magazines. If you read about other people running, or tips about running, it reminds you of your goal and gives you a little inspiration for those rainy days.
However, I think the lain thing that is keeping me focused is the prospect of the marathon itself. If I remind myself that I have to get my body around 26.2 miles, I panic slightly. The panic has so far been a good thing, as it has made me realise that I need to do some training. Having a goal certainly has kept my mind focused. People sponsoring me to reach that goal has also kept me going.
The good thing about running is that once I have overcome the desire to curl up in bed, I have generally felt really good once I have done a training session!
BLOG FIVE:
26th Feb – 11th March
My running vest arrived this week ! It is very green! The good thing is that it won't clash too much with my face as it turns from pink to red to purple as I try and get around the marathon course. The arrival of the running vest had made the idea of the marathon a bit more real. I have got 'the fear' you could say and I know that the big day is approaching – and fast!! Up until now I had been focusing on just getting myself out to train and the marathon had just been looming somewhere in the future. I think now it is time to face facts and realise that very soon I will be running the marathon, and so I should start to prepare for the actual run itself.
Lots of people have asked me what it is that I think about when I am running and if I ever get bored. If I answer that honestly then I think that yes, sometimes I do. The main thing that I do is to plug myself into my i-pod. Music keeps my mind occupied and often I lose myself and fall into a running rhythm, covering a lot of distance before I realise it.
On Wednesday last week (thankfully not one of my longer runs) I forgot my i-pod. It sounds a bit silly, but I really found it so hard to run! I could not get into a rhythm, I was thinking a lot about my body, my breathing, and I kept looking at my watch. Needless to say, the time passed very slowly!!
I will certainly be running with my i-pod during the marathon, as I really do not think that I will manage to get around the first five miles without it! Generally I listen to happy upbeat music. On my i-pod at the moment I have tracks from the Chemical Brothers and Faithless, along with angrier tracks by the Foo Fighters; I am hoping that these tunes will give me a boost when my legs start to get tired. I also have a collection of dance tracks to make me move a little faster and then I have some Hard-fi and Killers so I can sing along! If you look a bit closely at my i-pod you can also see that I have got some 'cheese' to keep me smiling, a bit of Britney Spears and I am almost ashamed to admit to the Ricky Martin tracks!!! Hopefully it will all help to keep me going across the finish line!!!
Training weeks nine and ten:
BLOG SIX:
12-25th March
Even when I do have my music, I do have lapses on every run where I drift away from my nice daydream state and I start to feel and to be aware of what I am doing. It is at moments like these when I think it really is going to be mind over matter!
I have read a lot of stories about other peoples marathon experiences, in the hope of getting some inspiration!! At first the stories that I read really scared me- most of them seem to be a tale with a double edged sword, a lot of pleasure but also a lot of pain. The main thing that seems to have pulled people through and kept them going has been the supporters. There are tale sof people hitting the wall at around the 18 -20 mile mark and managing to keep their bodies moving with the help of the cheers from strangers in the crowds watching.
Lots of people recount moments when they saw friends or family members in the crowds and it gave them a psychological boost. I plan to have people who I know at certain points in the crowd when I think I will need some extra help to push me along!!
I read a story in which a lady described her marathon experience as a humbling moment as all of the people taking part are running for different reasons and some with heart wrenching stories. I am really excited to be able to share the experience with all of these people!
When I am doing the marathon, I think that it is these stories that I have read that will keep me going. One quote which I really like is 'pain is temporary, pride is forever' – I hope the pain bit is true!! Another is , ' Because I'm here, because I can, because I want to', I think this will be a good phrase to keep in my mind, just to remind me to enjoy it!!
Training for weeks 11 and 12:
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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