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!

Has it really been 10 days?

Oh my. So much for my blogging every day, is it really 10 days since I was last on here!

A lot can happen in 10 days.....the sun can come out and raise your hopes that spring is on the way....then the rain can pour down and you dread every run for being wet and cold and miserable!

So as I sit here needing to go for a run in the next 30 minutes (to fit in between lunch and a hectic schedule) I am watching the rain fall and listening to the cars in all that water; oh joy!

I went for a run on Sunday in the rain - my first one actually where I went out in the rain (rather than getting caught half way) - such is my need to keep to my training plan. I initially thought i'd do a short one because of the rain, but I did manage my required training run of 1hr with interval training thrown in....I surprised myself my my determination. And although I now know my shower proof coat is definitely NOT rain proof, I did not come back cold and miserable, I came back feeling quite proud of myself for getting out there and running regardless of the conditions.

What else has happened in the last 10 days? I went for a 30 minute run on Saturday and managed 2 x 9.30 minute miles - a major achievement, not done that for about 3 years!

I went for a horse ride on Saturday as well - 1st time in about 3 months due to work and running commitments. I enjoyed that soooo much.

My sponsorship collection is moving on with donations towards a photography competition I am running for some of my clients. I can see the £500 mark in sight! Now to times that by 3!

Juggling the longer runs and my life is proving pretty tricky at times, but i'm still managing.

Well, hopefully it won't be another 10 days!

Thats a relief!

I managed my longest run yet today; just under 8 miles in 1hr 30 mins. Now its also my slowest run as well........but that's where my relief comes from! Last time I ran I had a bit of a scare when my legs hurt so much I had to walk for the majority of the 3 mile run I was on! So to run this distance (and that length of time) with no pain was such a relief.

So far I have been very lucky with my legs......but.......

I ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday just gone trying to catch up with a change of days for training last week.....that was my first mistake - trying to run 3 consecutive days when I have never ever done that before. I also ran the opposite way around my usual run which took in a very steep hill (which I managed to slog up all the way). Lastly, I had a large roast dinner only 1 hr before running!....And I may have been a bit relaxed about my warming up stretches.

The culmination of all these factors I think just hit my legs a little to hard and sensibly I decided to walk most of my run on Sunday, but I felt so cross with myself, felt like a failure and felt very worried about getting to the marathon. I was also quite scared about how much my legs would hurt on today's run, hence i took the pace a bit easy.

Lesson learnt

I will NOT run 3 days in a row again! I WILL stick to my running days where at all possible. I will NOT be stupid enough to run up steep hills like that again! I WILL stretch and warm up properly before each and every run.

Another hilly session!

Today was my second hill session in my training. This time I put the dog in the car and headed for the mile long hill I found earlier in the week!

This weeks hill was what I should have used last week, and it made a difference.

After a warm up walking down the hill and some stretching I tackled the hill 10 times for 1 minute each time, returning back down the hill at a walk for 1 minute and a 30 second jog to return to my same starting point each time.

I really pushed it up the hill each time and was quite surprised how far I actually ran in 1 minute (and up a hill). Moose (my dog) got a bit tired on the 8th trip back up the hill (the game got a bit boring for her at that point) so I sat her half way down and being the fantastic obedient dog that she is....waited for me to come back up the hill to collect her!

I am so pleased with myself that I am keeping to my training plan so well. I have so much more confidence in myself to succeed now that I'm not just trying to guess how to train.

Well, my dog is fast asleep , and I'm off to enjoy a bottle of wine with my hubby with my feet up!

Its a bit windy oooot there!

I battled with the elements today. Having chosen not to run yesterday (in beautiful weather) I was faced with howling winds today. Luckily I missed the rain!

I took on my first 45 minute run with short pieces of speed work included. For every 4 minutes that I ran/jogged at a comfortable speed, I then ran for 1 minute (fairly puffing each time). As a result I had to add on some distance to my usual 4 mile run, and managed just short of 4.5 miles, thus I managed to increase my time from 11 minute miles to 10 1/2 minute miles. It may not seem much, but over 26 miles that's the difference between a sub 5 hr time and something more.

Snowdrops photographed last year....spring is coming!

Made a special effort to peer over the walls as I ran past Cherington Lake to check on the snowdrop development. They are just there! Still in tight bud, no doubt in a week or so I shall be wanting to visit with my camera!

My running partner 'Moose' on my shorter routes - this was last yr in the snowdrops!

A mile uphill!!!!!

I went for my longest run yet today. In 1hr 15 mins I managed just under 8 miles. My hubby dropped me over at Westonbirt and I ran the back roads all the way home! It does wonders for my interest - the change in scenery, a route I had never run.....I had no idea where the up and down bits were going to occur.....which brings me to my next point!

There is a VERY LONG hill between Tetbury and Chavenage house on the back road! I've run down it before, but never up. I have a friend who used to run up that hill every time she trained....all recognition to her! I did actually manage to run the whole thing (pure determination and a lot of puffing) and when I measured it I found it is 1 mile of continuous hill! I actually ran it in 11 minutes!

I did feel a bit like this!

Training is still going well, and seems to be working, as I managed to speed up for the last 2 minutes of my run today, which meant I wasn't all out when I finished. I'm actually starting to enjoy it, and not thinking about it as a chore any more. The first 100 m and the first mile still seem to be the hardest each time though!

Donated £35 to my Just Giving page today - the total number of training miles I ran in January! £1 a mile goes in the pot after each run. Just to prove i'm doing my bit at donating to my cause as well as expecting you all too!

Just a reminder:

http://www.justgiving.com/Charlotte-Bellamy2

Hills were not made to be run up.........

Well, that's my decision after today's training!

I don't think I managed to find a 'gentle' hill, and instead ran up the hill behind my house, which I normally walk up and am puffed at the top!

On the 8th time back up even my dog looked at me and questioned her wisdom in following me at all times!

So....next week I shall find a more gentle hill and maybe enjoy it a little more!

Off road running!

Just back from my run today. Managed the whole thing without touching a road, it was probably very good for my legs, but my feet found it a lot harder than running on the road!

I ran 4.65 miles in 51 minutes - starting at Westonbirt leisure centre, round the arboretum and back again.

I found a few photos of my running route today, just so you can see that its no real hardship to run in the gorgeous location that I live!

I remember my running in Chicago, so many cars, so may houses so much noise and hard concrete pavements (sorry that's side walks to you Jill!). Here I'm lucky if I see another person, though I have to say the runners have all started appearing in the last week - maybe its that time of year! Certainly makes me feel less alone and less crazy!

Hill work tomorrow! Now to find a 'gentle' hill! I'm not sure any of the hills round here are gentle! I've never done a session on hill work, though every one of my runs involves hills, so maybe

it won't be to hard!.....I'll let you know! Till tomorrow.....

I could become the queen of fundraising ideas!

I've been trying to come up with a bit of a list of ways to raise some money for my marathon charity.

So far I have planned:

• A couple of photographic competitions for my clients
• A photograph competition for my local camera club
• A cake stall
• A wine tasting evening
• Creating a hard hitting slide show with images to go with an email asking for direct donations to my Just Giving Page.
• Getting my mum to have a cake stall or coffee morning and having a sponsor form!
• Organising some kind of activity at my son's school.
• Placing a £1 in a pot every time I run a mile during my training.
• Matching any donations made by my clients out of my business.

And yet it all still seems a bit scary!

I've been struggling to think of some way my son could get involved, and I just found these two idea that sound quite fun, that I'm sure he would love to help me with:

Welly throwing competition

Treasure maps

As it stands, I'm about 7% of the way towards my goal of £2000 on my just giving page! http://www.justgiving.com/Charlotte-Bellamy2

Feel free to donate! LOL

So what does an easy run mean?

So today my training schedule said 'easy run'....now define easy! I'm sure it meant take it easy, but as I ran around on my 45 minute trip round the muddy lanes with the cold north wind blowing in my face I'm really not sure I was that impressed by the use of the term 'easy'!!!

The only thing I can say is that today's run certainly seemed easier than Monday's which must be worth looking at in a positive way!

The other positive is that I added another £4 to my tin into which I'm placing a pound a mile from each of my training runs, which I will add to my Just Giving Page each month.

Speaking of my Just Giving page - here it is. If you are enjoying my blog, I'd love you to make a donation! http://www.justgiving.com/Charlotte-Bellamy2

Bit of a lack of inspiration writing this blog this evening, so just thought I'd add a couple of pics so you can see the face behind the blog!

These were taken at the Great South Run in Portsmouth. I was so pleased to see the finish line!

Why purple?

Why the purple blog????????

Well, apart from it being one of my favourite colours.....it is the colour of The Children's Society logo.

This charity offered me a place in the marathon, which I was delighted to receive, and so is the charity I am raising money for when I run The London Marathon in April.

So why this charity?

Are you a parent?.............Do you offer your child 100% support, love and security?.....Some parents do not or can not. This is where the Children's Society comes in.

Whenever I see adverts or TV campaigns to support charities who work to help children in many disadvantaged situation it makes my heart ache. My little boy wants for nothing! He has all the love I can give him, the security of a loving family, and has every opportunity to enjoy his childhood.

Unlike your son or daughter, there are many children who's childhoods are a mix of being scared, feeling insecure and being unsure what the future holds for them.

This charity works to improve the childhood of so many young individuals. The Children's Society works with children; who through no fault of their own, find themselves in a less than ideal situation.

When I imagine children hiding from their parents through fear as a result of drugs or alcohol abuse, or having to act as an adult because their mother or father is incapable of looking after them in some way it really makes me think about how lucky I was as a child, and how lucky my son is.

The Children's Society aims to prevent, rescue and support children facing life trapped in a vicious circle of fear and harm; a vicious circle driven by violence, neglect, poverty and discrimination.

The charity supports children who feel that their only option is to become a runaway, they support young refugees to rebuild their lives in new communities, they support disabled children by ensuring they have a voice, they support children affected by drug and alcohol misuse and so many other important aspects.

Mud and rain - Yuk!

So, what can you expect when you have to train for a spring marathon in the UK! Lots of rain and lots of mud!

My poor trainers are taking a bit of a battering at the moment!

Still........ its in recognition that I still got my backside out and did my run in the rain that I am posting today!

5.7 miles in 63 minutes - its a bit slow, but its the longest run i've done since October, so its still an achievement whatever speed it was!

Looking forward to my day off tomorrow!

Need an inspirational quote to give you a reason to run?

OK, these quotes are for me to return too when I'm having a bad day....today is not one of those, so I'd like to offer them to any of my friends who are just starting out on their running or those who suggest that "only running a 10K" they are in any way achieving less than I a propose too.

I still remember my first 8K 5 years ago - I was scared stiff of not achieving the challenge I had set myself, but with the support of others and a bit of self belief I succeeded. Every extra minute that I ran was a huge achievement and I still am in awe that 5 years ago I had never run further than a few metres since high school!

Enjoy theses....and believe in yourself!

I love this one!

Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway. ~Mary Kay Ash

And because many of you have kids!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who'll decide where to go.
~Dr. Seuss

Knock the "t" off the "can't." ~Samuel Johnson

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. ~Thomas Alva Edison

Have a great day!

Why am I running the marathon?

Why am I running the London marathon?.....Oh didn't you know that I have a load of time on my hands and nothing better to do? If you know me at all, you will know that is a complete lie and just writing it make me wonder where on earth I am going to find the time to keep this blog up to date in addition to everything else I am up too!

In short, running the London Marathon is an ambition I have had since I was around 7 yrs old. I saw Peter Duncan run the marathon on Blue Peter and decided there and then that one day I would follow in his footsteps. Its only taken me over 25 years to believe in myself that I might possibly achieve this ambition, but if you look at the list of ambitions in my life I have already achieved;

• Visiting New Zealand
• Galloping a horse across a deserted beach
• Travelling the world
• Finding myself a fantastic man to spend the rest of my life with.
• Become a mummy
• Love my job

Then you will realise that I am quite determined, and if I set myself up to do something I'm not planning to fail!

I applied for a ballot place in the 2011 marathon (like gold dust) and as expected I was not given an entry place. As a result I then contacted a number of Charities who work to improve the lives of neglected or disadvantaged children. To my delight - The Childrens Society offered me a place in their team, which I accepted with much delight!

I have set myself a target of £2000 to raise for this charity, and know that when I am struggling to keep going -the thought of these children that I am helping will make the sweat and tears completely worthwhile, and give me a great reason to keep running.

So here I stand today....three weeks into my serious marathon training...still so excited to be so close to this opportunity to achieve an ambition. Feeling so privileged to have been offered this opportunity by The Childrens Society and looking forward to this challenge!