Hello!
Thank you for joining me as we review week 13 and 14 of training for the Burgess Marathon, the final full weeks!
This week I want to share the following;
What marathon training I did
The Big Half come down - Norovirus flu!
The Race Day schedule - how you can help
What’s in the store - key things that I’ve used in training
Final thoughts
What marathon training I did
Week 13 running training
Thursday - 12k - Tempo (meant to do 10k)
Saturday - 5k - Peckham Rye parkrun (meant to do 9k)
Sunday - 12k - (meant to do 20k)
Total - 29k (meant to have done 47k)
Week 14 running training
Wednesday - 9k - fast
Friday - 11k - Steady
Saturday - Dulwich parkrun walked
Sunday - 12k - easy
Total - 32k (meant to have done 42k)
You can follow my training at Strava or message me if you’d like a copy of the full plan (which includes the strength workouts).
What comes up must come down - Week 13 and 14
Following on from the Big Half, which really had been epic, I was tired, physically and mentally. Listening to my body I didn’t run on Tuesday. On Thursday I ran to ‘One Tree Hill’. It has 121m of elevation and views of the city which always invigorate me.
But something wasn’t right and I was about to learn that we most probably had the norovirus. At 0100 Friday morning, Shveta vomited across the bed and at 0545 I was reacting too. It took all my strength and using the buggy for support to walk Nisha to nursery. I took the bus home but after two stops I had to get off to sit on a bench. I was feeling terrible. I got home, cancelled my massage and went to bed. My marathon training felt in the bin.
However I know I’ve done the long runs, the mileage is in my legs. I now need to refocus.
Race day how you can help
I have one more ‘training’ run on Tuesday before RACE DAY on Saturday 28th September!
I’ll be starting the Burgess Marathon 3k into the Burgess parkrun course I will run the final 2k to the finish/start. I will then do 7 laps of the course. I’m aiming to do each 5k lap in 30mins. This means by 0900 I will have completed 37.2k. I will then do the final 5k of the marathon with EVERYONE at the official Burgess parkrun.
You are invited to accompany me for any part of my marathon challenge; to run bits, run laps or cheer along. And of course you’re all welcome for the final 5k at 0900 for the official Burgess parkrun. Make sure you bring your barcode, it’s going to be great and at the end there will bananas 🙂
I’m hoping there will be some staff members from Become in attendance so an opportunity to learn more about the amazing work they do and why I’m so thrilled to be raising money for them.
The Schedule
0515 - I will start the Burgess Marathon at point 3k of the Burgess parkrun course
0530ish - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for lap 1 (2.2k)
0600ish - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for lap 2 (7.2k)
0630ish - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for lap 3 (12.2k)
0700ish - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for lap 4 (17.2k)
0730ish - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for lap 5 (22.2k)
0800ish - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for 6, this is likely to be the hardest (27.2k)
0830 - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start for lap 7, the penultimate lap! (32.2k)
0900 - I will be at the Burgess parkrun start line for the final 5k (37.2k)
0930 - finish Burgess parkrun and finish Burgess marathon (42.2k)
If you’re able to come GREAT but if you can’t please do send me a message of support by Friday, I’m here for all the positive energy 🙂
The store
This week I continue to recommend and use the following to protect my feet; Palmers Coco Butter and Stance Socks. I’ve not lost any toe nails in training.
I will continue to bang on about the benefits of my Theragun massage gun. You can visit the Theragun store here - https://amzn.to/4eHi4JH
When running on my own I continue to use my Powerbeats Pro headphones. They sit in the ear and have a hook over the ears providing a stable ‘locked in’ snug fit. With noise cancelling and great musical detail through the treble and base ranges my music, podcasts and audiobooks sound crisp. With intuitive volume controls they haven’t let me down.
My left shoulder still isn’t ‘normal’ as I’m lifting Nisha every day and she’s getting heavier! This product used before bed means I continue to wake up ready to go again. It’s easier to apply than the cream which takes ages to wash off your hands, Deep Heat roll on
Any purchase you make using my link I will get 1% which I will add to the fundraising.
Thank you!
Final thoughts
The last two weeks haven’t gone the way I wanted, however that’s life, that’s marathon training. I am feeling a bit low however I’ve got a few day’s to fix my mindset and give this challenge everything I’ve got. I am determined to complete the Burgess Marathon and hopefully I’ll reach the fundraising target too.
Thank you for reading these blog posts and all the messages of support it makes more of a difference than you might realise.
This is one of my go to motivational videos, I’ll be drawing on; Unbroken.
I’ll have one more of these blog posts on the other side to let you know how I get on.
For now, stay safe, stay well and happy running
The Burgess Marathon
The Burgess Marathon takes place on 28th September and will involve me running the Burgess parkrun course 8.2 times with the final 5k to commence at 0900 to conclude the challenge at the official Burgess parkrun. You can donate to my fundraising page for Become Charity here;
A huge thank you if you have already sponsored me. Please spread the link far and wide. I’m hoping together we can do something special.
Sorry we're a bit late to the party! Inspirational stuff this Aqasa. I hope it's all gone well.
You've got this!