Wednesday 22 July 2015

Headband update

A massive thank you to everyone who donated to support me being able to run the marathon for the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund! Thanks to you, the fundraising target has been reached.

Because of this, and because I'm so busy with everything else - including training for the Next Big Thing - I'm going to retire the headband production for the time being. I have some limited stock available, so if you would like one, do e-mail me at eva00unterwegs@gmail.com to check and I'll be happy to ship them.

Thanks again, happy running,

Eva

Monday 4 May 2015

In the end, it doesn't even matter...

... that I completely and utterly neglected this blog when things got busy. At least I hope it doesn't! I did get a few messages asking if I was okay, and if the marathon was still on. Let me assure you - IT WAS ON!!!


Flat Eva.
My training was a bit of a mixed bag, with IT band issues that put me out of action for two weeks, and some very dodgy training runs – including one where I got stitches before I even started running. But I figured I could probably finish it, and just went ahead and did the thing you’re not supposed to do for your first marathon: I set myself a time goal of five hours – mostly because I really didn’t want to be out there any longer than that!

I hadn’t really thought about nutrition for the marathon. During my 20-miler (the longest training run), I did a 10-mi loop that ended at my local Tesco, picked up some chocolate milk and watermelon, and did the same again. Not really an option on race day, was it! Luckily, my friend Irene (who I met at Julie’s 10-mi training day in Hyde Park – recommended!!!) took me under her wings and hooked me up with some gels at the Expo. To practice, I had one on an empty stomach the Friday before the race and figured I’d be okay. My year studying in Ireland meant that I was well acquainted with Lucozade – the Irish students’ hangover drink of choice – so I was confident it would keep me going, as it was handed out on the course.

We did manage to make a rather fabulous hat, though!
My friend Katharina came all the way from Germany to cheer me on, and to provide moral support. We used to share a room in boarding school, and that’s a kind of bond that is really difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t been through that experience. She knows me in a way I don’t think many people do, and it was a real treat to have her there. We spent all day Saturday trying to pull together a sewing project, but I was so harebrained that I don’t think I contributed much, other than cutting out the wrong pieces and losing the pattern. But I wasn’t nervous about the marathon, no way!

Sunday morning I did some groin stretches in the bathtub (don’t!), a little bit of yoga, had a breakfast of rice, salami and hummus, and off I was to meet Julie. My bus was late and I was so focussed on making it to the platform that I managed to miss her. If you’ve seen Julie, you’ll know that’s quite hard to do! I jumped on the train and texted her – she was still at the station! So in true IT Crowd fashion, I got off and on again, and we managed to get to the Bandstand in Greenwich Park just in time for the BBC interview. My main contribution to the piece was emphatic nodding, and having watched the footage, I think I’m a rather excellent nodder. I was dead proud of the girls talking all kinds of sense, and proud to be a part of the campaign. Seeing how many people started following the blog and joined the Clubhouse after seeing Julie on TV was amazing!
 
Off we went to the loo, then to the pen – and of course, I immediately needed to go again! I wasn’t really worried about the distance at that point, I was worried about having to go every 10 minutes and taking all day to finish. I ducked out and went to the female urinals. While I will spare you the details, let’s just say it may be taking emancipation that little step too far. No queue, though!
Luckily, I’m sneaky and managed to catch up with the girls before we crossed the start line. I was raring to go, and quite possibly a little bit annoying as I was jumping up and down with excitement. Just think about it, all those miles we’d get to run!

 Of course I had completely ignored the advice not to try anything new on race day, and had a new bra, new capris, new hat, new headphones and a new music player. When we set off, I tried turning on my music, but it wouldn’t play! PANIC! We had agreed to run the first mile together, but I fell behind as I fiddled with the technology. Let’s just say that re-pairing a Bluetooth device is not that easy if you’re also trying to stay on pace. Luckily, it somehow sorted itself, and I could focus on my breathing, fighting off stitches already. 

I caught up with the others just before the mile marker and decided to keep going as I was feeling groovy. The first few miles flew by, as again I ignored the advice I was given (don’t go out too fast, don’t waste energy overtaking people etc. etc.!). None of that applied to me, I was feeling mega strong and already visualising not only making my 5-hour target, but beating it!

Sarah caught up with me to say hi on a roundabout, which is just so cool when you think about it. Running on a roundabout!!! Some time around mile 8 (I think), somewhere in Wapping I spotted my partner in his motorcycle get-up. He had promised to be there but I didn’t know where he would be. It turned out that I saw him first because he was checking his phone, and he got quite the shock when I sprinted (at that point, I was still able to do that) up to him, and basically jumped him to give him a big old kiss. Then I nearly fell into a puddle! I was on my way again before he could react, because I had a time goal to beat! Later he told me that the bystanders asked him if he even knew “that person” who gave him “the kiss of a lifetime”. Great marathon moment right there (and we have it on video!).

I saw him again before Tower Bridge but only waved at him because by mile 8, my quads had started to seize up. Given that I was on pace, I didn’t want to stop and stretch. It was amazing running across Tower Bridge, it’s another one of those things that are hard to describe. I recommend doing the marathon just for that feeling. 

Another sprint to hit my time goal for the half way mark. By that point, according to my watch I had spent an additional half mile dodging walkers and rhinos, and I was getting quite annoyed. I did make it in under 2:30, quite a big PB for me, but I was knackered. The problem was, I had spotted the 5hr pacer, but I couldn’t get to him. Time for some soul searching. Why was I actually doing this? I was so stuck on the time goal that I was forgetting my “why”. I wanted to do something positive for myself, to get my body strong enough to do this thing without hurting myself, and I wanted to do this to honour my grandfather’s memory. Because he always believed that I could do whatever I set my mind to. And I wanted to do it for all those women out there who were told they couldn’t do it (yes, you can!!!). And I thought, I’m running the London marathon, and I’m not actually enjoying myself. How crazy is that??? So I let go of the time goal, settled into my pace, and stretched when I needed to. 

From that point on, I had an amazing time. I high-fived every available child, had the gummies and jellies, danced to “I’m all about that bass” in a tunnel I usually commute in (crossing the double white lines SEVERAL times, because, yeah!) and just enjoying the positivity coming from the crowds. At 16.5 miles I scared the Mile End ParkRun crew a little bit when I sprinted at them – it was so great to see them! My partner popped up again and I handed him my hat (and snogged him thoroughly, because I now had time for that kind of thing). 

Katharina was at 35km with a much needed chocolate milkshake. By that point, I had to walk occasionally to relax my quads, but knowing that the Clubhouse ladies would be at mile 25 made me want to look strong. Also, the crowds wouldn’t really let you walk! If you moved to the side to walk, they would shout “Come on, Eva!”, relentlessly. I was also very aware of my shirt. After all, I follow the fat girl’s guide to running, not walking! In the end, I didn’t spot the Clubhouse peeps, but I hope they saw me keeping it up for them.

Very heavy metdal.
The last mile felt really really long, but I managed to pick up the pace that little bit for a strong finish. I met up with Katharina and we headed to the pub to catch up with the other "Ronners" and our charity. They fed us, gave us beer, and we got to meet some of the athletes currently receiving scholarships from the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund. The future of athletics sure seems in good hands!

I didn't cry when I crossed the finish line, I still haven’t really, not because I wasn't moved. The thing is, I feel a little bit guilty about the whole thing because I really enjoyed myself. I feel bad about asking people for donations so I can do my favourite thing – running! Although I feel better about that now, having met the scholarship recipients. Sophie Papps wrote a very nice blog post thanking us - you're so very welcome!! So, a big old "thank you" to everyone who donated or bought my silly headbands! You made this possible, and it was fabulous having you along for the ride.

My partner asked me what I was thinking about the whole time, but I seriously can’t remember. I was in the moment, and it was awesome. The support from the crowds was overwhelming. Several times, I got all choked up because I thought about all those people, sitting in traffic because the roads were closed for us, or spending their Sunday out there, cheering for us and giving us jelly babies! If possible, it made me love London more. I felt at home, and supported, and loved. Even more so when I finished and turned on my phone to see that the Clubhouse ladies had been following our every step in a rather military operation! It’s more than you could ever ask for, really.

Friday 13 March 2015

All you need is...

Running is supposed to be so accessible, "all you need is a pair of shoes". WRONG!!! I'm sorting through my earthly possessions in an effort to keep a clear path to the kitchen and the loo. This is what you need*, minimum:

*your definition of "need" may well differ from mine!


Shoes:
Two pairs of favourite trainers so you can swap them occasionally, and always have a pair that's broken in properly. One lighter pair for speed training and whatnot. Vibrams - "need" is probably not the word, they make me look like a complete Zuckerberg but I feel like they're straightening out my toes! Flat shoes for just walking around, because the internet says that helps strengthen your arches - remember, you're ALWAYS training.

Clothes:
This is just the "technical" gear, long sleeve, short sleeve, vests, jackets, leggins, capris, shorts. You need several of each to cover all weather eventualities, and you probably want to be able to colour coordinate. Although the latter is made easy by sports retailers who only offer ladies' gear on the pink spectrum. I've given up on folding these, it's just not worth it! You also need a whole bunch of laundry detergent. You just do.
 Assorted Stuff:
Once the actual running is out of the way, you'll spend a whole lot of time (and money) on rehab and injury prevention. If you're a proper runner, your focus is on rehab (ka-ching!). Yoga mat, foam roller, stick (another form of roller), massage balls, weights, suspension trainer... I can't show you my library of inspirational and / or informative running books because they're on my kindle. Much like the person who buys the Harry Potter books with "adult" covers, I don't want people on the Tube to know I'm obsessed.




Community
This is the big one, really, and for once - no pun intended. Once I got over myself and started telling people that I run, they suddenly popped up everywhere declaring "me, too!". And approximately 99.9% of runners don't care one bit if you're slow or whatever, they only care that you're passionate about their "thing", too. It was like letting go and falling over backwards, and being caught by this amazing community of joggers, plodders, runners just waiting for you to join them.

Take it online
When I was just starting out, coming off a pretty serious walking routine while training for the Shine half marathon walk in 2013, I stumbled upon Couch to 5k. That was a great way for me to start running, because it felt manageable. But what was even greater: /r/c25k, the sub-reddit dedicated to the programme. These people are relentlessly encouraging, and they won't let you fail. From there, mosey on to runnit, the running sub, where runners of all ages, abilities and fitness levels congregate. Wondering if you should sign up for a race, if you can go the distance? Ask them, and the answer will always be a resounding "Yes, you can!" (Just don't ask them what shoes to buy - get fitted. Seriously.)

Run your park
First, there was sliced bread (or for those low-carb folks: bacon), then there was parkrun. This is a timed 5k happening in local parks across the land at 9am on Saturdays. The community vibe is amazing, everyone is truely welcome, whether you're looking for a PB or just hanging on by a thread to get 'round. I can't claim to be a regular, because first and foremost I am an owl, but have found it very helpful to get myself out there.
  • New Year's Day, rather hung over, somehow managed to drag myself out of bed and to an accidental PB (probably fuelled by Chrismas sugar indulgence). Don't think I would have bothered without parkrun.
  • A few weeks ago, I was in a real slump. A lady mentioned she was going to Mile End parkrun on our community website, and I just went ahead and invited myself along! Very challenging course (they'll tell you it's 4 hills - it's 8!), but the change of scenery and the fantastic atmosphere really boosted my confidence.
  • Just last week, a colleague (let's call her BLT, after my favourite sandwich) got in touch to ask if I fancied joining her at Finsbury Park for a spot of parkrun tourism - she was going to volunteer as back runner. Did I ever! This gave me the kick I needed to get up early, jog up there, actually do a parkrun for once, and - after a lovely coffee and chat - head back home in the sunshine that is so rare in these parts. I tell you, this is the way to spend a Saturday.

See you in the Clubhouse
 At the core of my personal running community, there is the Clubhouse. On the face of it, it's just another facebook group. But really, it's so much more:
  • A community of like minded women, all out there doing the best they can to improve their fitness and wellbeing, no matter what level.
  • A place to share your successes and achievements, without worrying about jealousy or snide remarks.
  • A place to talk about your insecurities and frustrations, and get advice from people who have been there.
  • It's pretty much a training and parkrun matching site, full of potential running buddies.
  • Race pictures galore! Also: running shoe and workout gear fashion show.
  • A bunch of utter nutters who make you sign up for races you never thought you could tackle.
  • The list is probably endless - join us and see for yourself!
The picture is from our 10mi training run in Hyde Park, another thing many of us never thought we could do - but we did it! Probably helped along by the fact that the pub was beckoning. The attitude really says it all: We're fit (or getting there), definitely fabulous, and we're coming to get you!!!

Epilogue
So there you have it. For me, the running community I discovered has been the most important thing that has helped me on the journey to becoming the semi-fit, tortoise-like jogger that I am, and to feel good about that. No matter what kind of runner you are, there is a community out there just waiting for you to join them. So go ahead, make a move! (But you definitely need some shoes, too.)

Sunday 8 March 2015

Headgear update

So I went a bit mad shopping at funkifabrics, after a fair bit of success with the headbands. Whatever's left at the end of this will turn into a leggins for yours truely!

We now have:

  • Rosie blue
  •  Oh so many dots
  • Superhero kapow (bright pink, red, blue - pink not coming through well in the picture, it's gorgeous)
  • Rather British
  • Orange is the new orange
  • In a galaxy far, far away



A few gratuitous shots:




To get yours, do the following:
  • E-mail me at eva00unterwegs@gmail.com with the design you'd like
  • Once I've confirmed, please make a donation (minimum 5 GBP) at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/evavlm.
  • Shipping to the UK and rest of EU is included, but since I'm paying this out of pocket, it's plain old regular mail.
  • Let me know where to ship your lovely headgear!

Thanks to everyone who's already donated, I'm very lucky to have so many supporters!

Running up that road, running up that hill


The thing about a marathon is that you really have to train for it. The first guy who ran it didn't train for it, and look what happened to him! To avoid that same fate, when I got the marathon place I turned to my good friend, the internet, and picked a plan that was encouragingly titled "Novice 1" (as opposed to "Novice 2" - I'm really not at that level yet!). It also happened to cover exactly the number of weeks left until the VLM, so I got to start immediately. The focus of this plan is to do enough (easy) miles to finish the marathon.

I modified the plan to incorporate strength training, my weekly swimming lessons (because I realised that despite thinking I was a decent swimmer, I can't even do front crawl!)  and the occasional ParkRun on Saturdays. So the basic idea was:
  • Monday: Strength training session from the fabulous Julia Buckley's "Challenge XXX".
  • Tuesday: Run to the pool, swimming lesson, run back home. (Collapse.)
  • Wednesday: Mid-week long-ish run. Once these went over 5mi, I started to run-commute home from work.
  • Thursday: Strength
  • Friday: Rest
  • Saturday: Short run
  • Sunday: Long run


 - THE PLAN* -

That was the plan anyway! (As you will have noticed, the post title implies that there might be hill training involved somewhere - there isn't because hills are hard!)

Things went well for a few weeks, I was feeling super strong and like I didn't need any rest at all. I'd swap sessions around to accommodate general life stuff and things seemed to be going well.

Until...

I first had the knee pain during the second half of a 10mi training session with Julie and a bunch of ladies including our Ron Pickering team in Hyde Park, but just I thought I'd tweaked it. It was fine during the week - until I tried to go long on the weekend. Four miles in I couldn't keep going.

Long story short, it was an IT band issue caused by tightness in the calves and quads. After two weeks of foam rolling, stretching, icing and not running very much (booh!), I hopped back onto the plan yesterday with a gentle jog to Finsbury Park, took in their ParkRun and headed back home - lots of stretching in between and 14mi covered, pain free. Happy days!

But it became clear that I need to change the plan - I was told in no uncertain terms that I was overdoing things. As you can see in the picture, I've drawn a line under it, and going forward the plan is:
  • Monday: Speed work
  • Tuesday: Swim
  • Wednesday: Strength
  • Thursday: Mid-week run
  • Friday: Rest
  • Saturday: Long run
  • Sunday: Rest
Plus the bleeping foam roller every day, and a short core routine for good measure.

Next up: The joys of ParkRun tourism and why run-commuting is not for the faint of heart.


*Note on THE PLAN: Items being crossed out either means I did them, or didn't do them, which may be confusing to some readers!

Thursday 26 February 2015

Extra, extra, read all about it!

There is a surprising amount of discussion in the running community about what makes a 'proper' runner. Is it about speed? Or frequency of training? Is running your primary sport? Do you have to love running to be a runner? 

After much pondering, I think I have the answer for you: It's all about the headgear.

This is based on a very scientific study with N=1 (me). I tend to sweat when I run, in a rather un-ladylike fashion, so to protect my eyes and keep my head cool at the same time, I've recently started wearing a headband. 

At first, I was worried that this was a bit too '80s cardio bunny' for East London, but rather than attracting smirks from the local hipster population, something amazing happened: Fellow runners started giving me "The Nod"! I've been trying to elicit this for some time, occasionally managing to get "The Smile", but this is new. I'm not running any faster, my form isn't any better - the only thing that is different is my headgear.

So: If you would also like to be a 'proper' runner, or whatever your exercise drug of choice may be, here is your chance! I got some fabulous lycra fabrics and am making headbands and scrunchies to raise money for the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund.

This is the headband:


Keep that hair in check!


Can be used to tie back your hair in a pinch (and if you have sufficient hair - I don't):


 Instant coolness!


 If you prefer a scrunchie, here it is!



I have four different styles:
  • Rosie blue
  • Oh so many dots
  • Rather British
  • Superhero kapow* 
 *this looks red in the picture, but is actually a lovely bright pink





Here's how it works:
  • If you'd like a headband or scrunchie, please send me an e-mail with desired style (eva00unterwegs@gmail.com). 
  • Once I've confirmed availability, please make a donation of at least 5 GBP at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/evavlm. Shipping included.
  • One size fits most, but do let me know if your head is abnormally sized ;-)
  • Not in the EU but want one? E-mail me!

Thanks for reading, the promised post on training is in the works so check back regularly or subscribe (option in the sidebar).

Thursday 12 February 2015

Well... how did I get here?


I don't think people tend to look at me and think "I bet she's running the marathon!". And to be honest, I didn't think I'd sign up for it, either. There are a lot of reasons NOT to run a marathon. Here are but a few:
  • 26.2 miles (just under 42.2 kilometers for the 'strictly metric' folks out there) is really, REALLY far. Like, far.
  • If you're slow like I am, it takes a really long time to run that distance.
  • If you're heavy like I am, it takes a lot of effort to run at all.
  • You have to train for it by running oh so many miles
  • While you're training for it, you basically stop being fun. You can't really drink, you have to be a bit 'particular' about your diet because you're running all the time, you have to get up early on Sunday morning for the great big slog known as 'the long run'.
  • Did I mention it's really far??
 For all those reasons, when I found out I didn't win a place in the ballot this year, I was actually a little relieved. I had put my name in just because that seemed to be the logical next step, having finished my first half last spring. The thought of running on London roads without having to dodge traffic also appealed. But to be honest, my heart wasn't in it and I quickly forgot about the marathon. Until...

I've been following Julie Creffield's blog 'The Fat Girl's Guide to Running' since I got back into running in late 2013, and quickly joined the facebook community. It was great to have this source of support, like minded ladies who also aren't your 'typical' runners. But runners we are! We run because we love running, or because we love how we feel when we're done running, or we run so we can eat more cake. All equally valid reasons!

Just before Christmas, Julie posted a rather ominous message asking if anyone would like to run the London marathon with her. And then I heard about the plan! Julie had been offered places sponsored by the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund and was putting together a team of ladies she was going to coach all the way to the marathon! Now that was a very different proposition - surely as part of a team, and with a coach, I might just be able to do this?

I'll be honest and admit I'd never heard of the Ron Pickering Fund. When I looked it up, that seemed really embarrassing - they've sponsored every single British athlete who won a medal in the 2012 Olympics at some point in their career! I love that they focus on supporting young talent. A lot of my work is about children and young people, so this is right up my alley.

I got in touch with Julie, not thinking I'd be lucky - but I was!

So here are my reasons to run the marathon, even if it seems like a stupid idea:
  • It's really far, but that just means we'll get to see a lot of London!
  • It'll take a long time, but that just means we'll get to enjoy the cheers for longer.
  • It'll take a lot of effort, but the feeling of accomplishment will be worth it.
  • We get to explore new routes and try different types of training on our quests to become 'proper' marathoners.
  • We're making loads of friends who share our passion for running, and who either share the same goal of running the marathon or are supporting us in every way they can.
It's still pretty far, though!

Next time, I'll bore you with a run-down of my training plan. Until then, please consider donating a few bob via my fundraising page (http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/evavlm). Anything you can spare will really make a difference - the Ron Pickering Fund is a small charity, but they put their money where it counts!