Running in the daffodils

How useless am I - No blog post since the 9th March! And there was I planning to try and manage a post every day!

So how it all going? Well i'm still alive, still running and still looking forward to the marathon which is now only three weeks away!

The weather has improved so much in the last week I even managed a run with my shorts on this week - back to longs today, but still out in only a T shirt. In fact I gave my Children's Society running vest a trip out today to see how it fitted and how warm/cold I was in it. Pleased to report its pretty comfortable and i'm very proud to be wearing it (and its my favourite colour).

Loving the sights and sounds and freshness of everything as I run. Saw two gorgeous chaffinches chasing each other today (looked like 2 blue birds flying around in the snow white movie) put a smile on my face! The daffodils are gorgeous and I can see all the bluebell plants getting ready to flower in a few weeks time. Lots of spring buds and catkins and even lambs in the fields.

Last week I managed my longest run yet at 15 miles. It took be just under 3 hours to complete, so no great achievement on the time, but i managed it without enough water, with no cheering squad or support and it was the first time I tried using gels to boost the energy levels after 2 hrs. So i'm pretty confident about the marathon distance.

Today I managed 11 miles in 2 hours, so I had a good pace, and felt as though I had plenty left in the tank when I finished. It should have been a 16-18 mile run today, but with a niggly back ache and knees a little sore this week I decided no to push it to the point of no return, and today's run has boosted my confidence and I felt no pain, so I think i did the right thing.

I did search on line as to what I should do this weekend, and generally it was suggested that this week's run would not 'make' a marathon, but it could 'break' a marathon, so hence I took it a little easier than my training plan.

Now i'm into my last three weeks, the training is starting to taper to allow my body to recover. So I can look forward to 30 minute runs this week (and so can my dog)!

I'll try to post a bit more in the next few weeks!

I ran my first half marathon ever!

I ran my first half marathon ever on Sunday!

I ran in the Bath half marathon with 11,000 other people and finished!

I never imagined I would run a half marathon purely to train for something bigger - but that is exactly what I did at the weekend. In preparation for the marathon in about 6 weeks, a half marathon was the ideal way to gauge how my training was going..........so how is it going?

Well; I finished in just under 2 and a half hours, which was exactly what I was aiming for, I ran the whole thing, I could still walk the next day and I did not do myself an injury....so it was a successful training run.

The last three miles were hard, but I beat my 10 mile personal best by 2 minutes compared to the Gt South, and I managed 11 minute miles till about mile 8. It was a mental issue rather than a physical one towards the end, and being a 2 lap race I was lapped at about 3.5 miles and had to watch the front runners go towards the finish when I still had another lap to do....both those factors were quite hard.

I now have to keep the training going to double that distance on the 17th April. That though scares me a little, but I also feel more prepared for what it to come, now I have managed to run half the distance under competitive conditions.

Enjoy the photos!

And February comes to an end!

Bit of a round up for the week this one!

What a struggle.....not the running, but trying to juggle half term with hubby away and at work and being full time mum AND THE RUNNING! Guess what came off worst....you guessed it - the running! I did actually only miss one run this last week, but a couple of the runs were shorter than i wanted and I was constantly stressing about when I was going to fit them in!

Back to a normal week today! Managed my second 2 hr run and managed 10.8 miles in 2 hours flat. Have to say that the last mile was VERY slow, though my first five all registered about 11 minute miles, which i'm pleased with.

Now I am NOT a morning person, I have even labeled myself a SLUG in the mornings! much to my hubby's amusement!

But I went for a run on Saturday morning at 9.30am.....I know thats not early, but I struggled so much. Every opportunity towards home was calling me, every mile point on the run I felt like turning back. I did manage an hour by sheer grit and determination, but managed only 5 miles in that time which is very slow!

With February at an end I have only 6 weeks of training left and I am still sticking with my training plan!

This month I notched up 73 miles! - Thats £73 to put into my Just Giving page! I'm supporting myself as I go along! Add that into my page and i'm nearly at £600 so far. http://www.justgiving.com/Charlotte-Bellamy2

Its a new personal record!!!!!!

I just ran 10.45 miles! The furthest I have ever run! Wooooopeeeeee! (Yea I still have the strength to write this....but have had a quick sleep on the sofa since the run!)

Kevin dropped me off over at Long Newnton, and from there I ran to Crudwell (away from home....bit of a mental issue with this one) then towards Kemble on the back roads then back to the Tetbury Ciren road, crossed over, back to Cherington then back home!

A couple of times I stopped for a bit of a stretch as I felt a twinge in my calf and was not going to have to walk all the way home like one of my other runs! Other than that though, it was ok.

I ran the distance in 2hrs and 1 minute! Just under 12 minute miles. And burned over 1000 calories....shame I just had an amazing lunch at Tipputs including a great chunk of chocolate bread and butter pudding and clotted cream and wiped that calorie use straight out!

I ran my 10 mile in the Gt South run in 1hr and 52 minutes, so I am sure under race conditions I could have gone faster, but on my own this is some achievement.

Just found this little image to amuse you! I think I'm doing ok at this at the moment.

More hills........

Its Saturday today....so that meant more hills! I found a great hill on a long run this week, so drove myself over there this morning. Ran up the hill 10 times (1 min each time) and walked down for 30 secs and jogged for 1min each trip back down. Thus I was done and dusted in 25 minutes.

Made a real effort to push myself up the hill each time. The 1st time was hard, the fifth time was harder and the last time was even worse! In between though I was coping ok!

Oh yes.....and it was raining again!

My first 2 hr run tomorrow. Currently plotting a 10 mile run back to my house after hubby drops me off somewhere miles away. I think it might be nearly at Cirencester! - that way its a bit more interesting and I have somewhere to run to rather than out and back (which is quite hard on the mind!)

My parents are over this weekend and bought my sisters foot spa over for me.....I fully intend to make the most of it while she is away....thanks sis if this is the first you knew about it!

Do you love the Chris Evans breakfast show?

I LOVE the Chris Evans Breakfast Show. Henry and I listen every morning; singing along to "how do you like your eggs in the morning", and Henry does a great rendition of "The Candy Man!"

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an email to Chris asking for a

signed photo that I may try and auction off in aid of my London Marathon attempt. I'd given up home, and then this morning, this came through the post!

VERY EXCITED.

Now the dilemma is how much am I willing to start the bidding at to keep it! Because I am actually dead chuffed to have it on my desk at the moment.

However, I am trying to raise a huge sum of money for the Children's Society, so I would like to offer it out there to anyone who might like to offer me a donation towards my fundraising.

Please get in touch with me either by comment to this post or on my Face Book business page http://www.facebook.com/charlottebellamyphotography

Or if you think you would just like to donate to my London Marathon attempt please go to my Just Giving Page. http://www.justgiving.com/Charlotte-Bellamy2

Thanks So much.

Charlie x

Why does it alway rain on me!

I have no idea why it rains ever day I go for a run and yet its brilliant sunshine every other day!

Still, managed 8 miles in 91 minutes yesterday which was great. Longest run so far in training.

Actually looking forward to my 'easy' 60 minute run tomorrow!

Not a lot else to say today, but thought i'd post a couple of pics of me on my return from my run in the pouring rain at the weekend. The photos really do not do it justice how wet I was, but you can see how dark and grey it was outside!