LIFESTYLE

#MyMarathon – The Next 5

On 11th May 2016
6 Comments

Thought I’d just jump in with a super quick #MyMarathon update to keep me accountable and let you know how the runs this weekend went.

Saturday didn’t happen.

I had a mad day between a Plymouth Blog Meet, a flying visit to some friends and then a mad and bizarre theatre trip in the evening to see some interpretive dance (yep!). Being busy busy meant that I walked really far (and to get to the theatre felt like we were running as we were late!), but didn’t technically run a step.

Adam was working from 5am on Sunday, so I made sure I got up in good time, tided the house so it was ready for friends coming over at midday and headed out into the Sunday sunshine, not quite knowing where I’d go, how far to run or quite how warm it was outside.

Let’s just say that wearing full length leggings was a mistake!

Post run proof – perhaps ignore the angry face, I actually felt pretty great (if a bit sweaty!)

I usually only take a house key, tied onto my shoelace, some tissue tucked into my knickers, and a few pound coins in my sports bra (who knows if you’ll end up getting tired/hurting yourself/giving up and needing to get the bus home?!). Today I thought it was sunny enough to carry my bottle, and also adorn myself with a fashionable sun visor…sporty!

As I needed to do at least a 5 miler to make up the #mymarathon distance for this weekend, I decided to run to the top of Plymstock. This was A) to see if I could do it, B) because I know the route and thought it would be about far enough and C) Adam’s family live there and if they were in, I knew I could fill up my water bottle.

It turns out you don’t really notice the hills when you drive somewhere, and it’s bloody hilly!

The combination of steep inclines + crazy warmth and sunshine was made only slightly better by my grit and determination to keep going and a really welcome sea breeze. I got there, and when I did arrive at Adam’s Mum and Dave’s house, I was greeted with a pancake made by his little brother Dan. An unannounced visit from a red faced sweaty daughter-in-law doesn’t get much better than that!

It was delicious!

The run back, thank goodness, was downhill nearly all the way, and once I’d mapped my run, I realised it was just over 5 miles total. I had just enough time to take some hilarious photos of the colour difference between my face and neck, shower and change before my bloomin’ good friends Sophy and Adam arrived for the afternoon.

Much to my annoyance, I’ve always gone beetroot red every time I even slightly raise my pulse. Long after I’ve cooled down and bpm is back down at resting rate I’ll still be bright pink. When I was at school I used to HATE it. I vividly remember standing with my face against an ice cold metal pole in the playground to try and cool it down in the middle of winter.

But then you get a bit older and perhaps care a little less about what other people think, because HEY, it shows I worked out hard, and that’s never a bad thing.

To prove a point after this run, I couldn’t believe the colour difference between my face and neck. Now that’s something. If you, like me, go crimson, or in fact incredibly sweaty, or puce, or purple, or orange, or blue, or indeed any mildly embarrassing physical change when you exercise please please please DON’T LET IT STOP YOU!

Yes, I have more bits that wobble than bits that don’t. I really don’t have the physique of a “runner”, but that doesn’t stop me being a runner all the same, even if I’m plodding along at 2 mph, sweaty AF and with a face on fire. Who cares, it’s #MyMarathon and I’m doing it!