It's been a month...

Its been just over a month since the London marathon - not a single step of exercise has been done... got to say happy about that :)

Watched my lovely friend Julia Kittow & the Cheesy and husband complete the Bristol 10K and cheered them both from the start & finish line and felt a little reminiscent.


But here's the thing I sort of miss the adrenalin, the buzz and the community.  And wait for it - I miss seeing Kim Ingleby, the woman is a legend. Also I miss the friday early evening runs with Sarah Callaghan - but I think that a couple of 10k a week is my limit - who knows????


Clearly eating my body weight in Walkers sensations is going to be challenging to the whole bikini image if i continue to consumer with any exercises. So June 1st is the date....


Blogging will resume in some form...

I did the London Marathon 2012!!!

Seriously did I just type that?? What a day... amazing, incredible, inspiring - to see all those amazing people.. Fran was very emotional in the morning, breakfast was bearable. London so early in the morning (7am we left!!!) was just beautiful but nothing could have prepared me for Blackheath!! I've walked dogs there, had pic nics there, but never have i seen so many people, like ants - swarming towards their designated areas. Red, green or blue - and the logistics - talk about amazing!
People of all shapes and sizes, with a common goal.


So she went to Green and I went to Red and that was it I was all alone - with 37000 other people all really really scared... It took me 25 minutes to get over the start, I ran, I walked and I ran a little further. I met a lady at mile 3 (i think) and all I can say is that we will be friends for life - her name is Rosie Carpenter and she was incredible. I could have run a little more, but was happy to have someone to share it with. I enjoyed the race, the kids and Cheese were at Tower Bridge - that was amazing, you could hear the crowds cheering for miles!!! Freddie even offered me pringles - and I refused!!! They were there again at Canary Wharf - it was amazing. Rosie's family were in the City and Clic Sargent were fantastic.


When the rain and hail came down at mile 21 we kept each other going. We ran over the finish line together with the kids as they'd jumped over the barrier, so Rosie, I, Cheese, Lauren, Anna and Freddie all finished together! Perfect!! :)


It wasn't fast - but I did it. I am NEVER doing it again, and for 2 days I haven't been able to stop myself welling up - Kim says it'll pass.


I'm going to mull for a few days - no running..... ever / for a month, and try and stop blubbing.... going to Vegas tomorrow with work - need to rest and recoup and then I'll come back and blog finally.






Tragic news about Claire Squires, my friend Stuart saw her collapse - just terrible. Went on and donated today - unbelievable how much has been raised in her name for her charity.

Pasta induced coma....

I am usually a fairly positive person. my glass is usually brimming over and I am grateful for many things in my life.


My girls, my family, my lovely Cheesy, my parents, my gorgeous friends and a lovely life....and I am a worrier, so I am a little confused that as I countdown the days and hours to the most difficult thing I have ever done I am remarkably calm. Maybe its denial, maybe its a pasta induced coma. Maybe its just meant to be.


So with less than 3 days to go and just in case you haven't - YET - here it is..

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LindaDaviesCarr 


I don't know loads of people, and it is a great cause, and many many thanks for all your kind contributions.


L
xx

countdown....

Today i will be eating.... anything in sight that doesn't move - watch out!
yours sincerly


in denial xx

6 days to go... a little scared...

Well that was it the last long run. 8 miles and a decent time. Lovely morning. :) Supportive lovely husband and me bitching and moaning all the way around (as usual) ... did I tell you we'd been married less than a year!! Maybe I shouldn't get him to run with me again!!
A business colleague did the Brighton Marathon yesterday - Go Gordon Fraser  - you super star - in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust Research uk - well done you, what a great race & achievement.
Well that's it now, now or never. Last minute prep, pep talk and massage tomorrow with Kim and




latest news:
Ethiopia's rising marathon star Markos Geneti has withdrawn from the 2012 Virgin London Marathon on the request of the LDC running team...

more driving rain???

OK I get it I am doomed... only had to go out and get on my feet for an hour - just one hour. It was gorgeous sunshine earlier, but I had to get some paperwork done. (Eat that frog syndrome!!). So now - actually got the time it is teeming down....... WTFlip???


BTW - loving the phrase "tapering" aka not running much as conserving energy and loading up on food - oops sorry i mean healthy eating....


So here it is again..... shameful slamming of the just giving site.... making NO apologies as it is a great cause. Clic Sargent - mega xx go on xx
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/LindaDaviesCarr

18 miles - GET IN!!!

Been a bit rubbish with the blogging - so sorry :(

Been a bit preoccupied with rubbish running and kind of lost my running mojo.

Been a bit crap and feeling sorry for myself and lost my focus.

Been a bit self indulgent - sorry.

I CAN run the 2012 London Marathon and it will be GREAT.

I am a long distance runner - the fabulous Kim Ingleby said so....

I went out in the driving rain yesterday and did 18 miles - so chuffed that I achieved that - the sofa was very enticing....

Less than 2 weeks to go - Nearly there.....

Caution - EPIC failure!!

34 days to go and £1000 + raised by 44 donors... that's a great result, and I am humbled by the support and it got me thinking...

Its Balfhalf + 7 and London -34 - and I am scared.

Ran 9.5k on Friday evening with Sarah - isn't it lovely that the evenings are lighter? Ran all over north Bristol - actually really enjoyed it, only thing that was challenging was the fact that all the kids were waiting to eat when I got home:) Had a great (resting) day on Saturday, then the planned 14.5 miles on Sunday. It did not go well - hence the EPIC FAILURE!!

So mothering sunday, awake at 3am - not good. Finally awake at 8am, kids all up at 8:30 and then tea and cup cakes in bed. Hollyoaks - who really watches that??
Run was planned after the boys got back from rugby - walked around to my mums to give her flowers and tlc (bad cold) and then run started well on the Downs, but after about 2 miles we stopped. Everything was aching, my head was not in the right place and I stopped. Feel so cross now but at the time just wanted to get home and be with my family - it was mothering sunday afterall??
Consulted the oracle aka Kim and coincidentally she had emailed. So not so bad - have to step up the miles on my feet this week - makes the planned 16 miles next weekend even worse!!
Its going to be a tough week - get prepared for the bitching and moaning!!
On a plus side there are now 9 of us going to Vegas 3 days after the marathon - maybe 10!!
Just in case you don't have it - here's the sponsor site...
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/LindaDaviesCarr where you can also sponsor me online.

Who'd have thought...

Well here it is – it is well known to those who know me and maybe read this that I am not a runner, nor do I like it – well that’s a bit of an understatement… but here’s a thing, after the slog that was the Bathalf, and the anticipation – strike that the sheer and absolute stomach churning fear that is the London Marathon in 37 days. I’ve got to begrudginly admit that the process (apart from the pain) is amazing. The support from my friends, my amazing husband, my girls and even my parents has been astounding. I think I honestly love Kim Inglebury – she is amazing and I do not know what I will do when it all stops… and even Jan and Heather at Sweatshop and the girls at Monday night kettle bells, and the running club at DL, and that is the reason for the blog today…

There is only one answer when I woman asks “do you think I have lost weight?” supported and followed very quickly with “do you think my bum is smaller?” – if you want to retain your friendship. For those of you not sure the answer is a definative YES. (FYI  - I once knew someone whose answer to the question was NO – YOU make your bum look like that – she didn’t have many friends!!)

So when your children and even husband comment WITHOUT prompting that 1 – you look thinner / leaner, and 2 – bum looks smaller I kissed each and every one of them – with a MASSIVE smile on my face. :)

So who'd have thought that today - yes that's only 4 days after the Bathalf marathon I agreed to run the Bristol half in September, and the Bath half next year... and I was SOBER!!

So girls - lets do it..

Hugs

L

xx

Bathalf 2012 - done!

Ok here it is - can you see it??? 10422th in what was a life changing experience... too many funny funny stories to share.


11am start and it was lovely and warm, beautiful foggy start at 8:15am when we left Bristol, then the sun came out!


13,000 runners at the runners village - Clic Sargent were amazing support and to Jan & Heather at Sweatshop - the encouragement and hugs were just what was needed.


I saw Dasterdly & Mutley, human morphs, a centurion, a baby, a fox and loads of other weird and wonderful people all dressed up. The boys for the army, 131 commandos all kitted out with 60lb packs. Not gonna lie, its interesting - and a little alarming being over taken by a chicken!!


Bit weird when the winner (who did it in 62 minutes) lapped us at mile 5!!


13 miles - DONE. Never never doing it again - Oh wait, that was a training run (LMFAO!!) and in 40 days I have to do that DOUBLE!!


To the wonderful Cheesy who said out of support last week, well if you can get me a number then I'll run with you (wouldn't have pushed to do it under 3 hours of you hadn't been there) - thank you and sorry as the fabulous Kim did get you a number and you did run. To Sarah & Leanne - you were fantastic. To my mum and dad who turned up to surprise me - what a lovely surprise at mile 12!!


It was a humbling experience, it was NOT easy, but there were 13,000 people doing it, and the amount raised for charity must have been amazing.. So thank you to everyone who has sponsored me and to those of you who haven't YET - thank you..


http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/LindaDaviesCarr where you can also sponsor me online.

11 miles - OMG!!

I know I know its been a few days - I have been running honestly!!

So I got all the timing wrong - didn't run on Saturday when the weather was lovely instead ran around with the children - seeing to everyone needs but mine! So ran on Sunday afternoon through town. So what could be worse for a fairly vain middle aged woman??? Yes running through central Bristol in your running kit (not pretty) with everyone out for their Sunday afternoon stroll?

So 11 miles - it took a while. NOT happy - but it was still 11 miles. Kim was right - there are good weeks and BAD BAD BAD weeks. Bath half in less than a week, I cannot believe that me, a non runner is using the Bath half as a training run...

when does it get easier??

10 miles 10 miles 10 miles - woo hoo!!

Ok I am a few days late - sorry.. however I have news...10 miles!! woo flippin hoo!!
Gorgeous Sunday morning, great weather, cold and sunny. Bristol really is BEAUTIFUL. We ran along the river, around the SS Great Britain and under the Suspension Bridge. GORGEOUS!!


It was hard I am not going to lie, but, and here it is... my legs ache, but NOT as much as last week. Now that surely is progress with a capital P!!


Kettle bells and alpha bags on Monday night with the lovely ladies from Energised Performance... wow those lunges hurt..


Kim (EP) emailed me the new plan to get me to the marathon - still too scared to open it, there's something in there about running 20 miles on 1st April - must be an April fools joke!!!


12 miles this weekend and then the Bath half is less than 2 weeks - OMG!!


xx

BATHALF 16157

Ran aka hobbled with Kim this morning - isn't it meant to be getting better / easier by now??
Seriously lost the plot now and how great is Harris Active sports, beans for this, beans for that, a running belt (really??) Elite drops (WTF??) And BFF Fran's father in law just said - well don't you just kinda get up and run!! I mean really - does he think we are Forrest Gumps??


Legs still hurt, is it age or mileage, or just both?
Gonna try the Elite drops - sound cool, and it will be the only time I get to use the ELITE word!!
Anyway got home this afternoon to this:

Well its here the all important number and I never thought I'd say this - but its the Bath half and it a training run!!! OMG!!!

9 miles - get in!!

Been a few days but have been running - honest!!
So as my dear friend Teresa would say GET IN!!!
By BFF in the whole wide world was staying the weekend - the one that got me into this pickle. Note to self - do NOT get tipsy at your wedding (or anyone else's wedding) with your BFF and sign up to a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) - not clever! 
Anyway she arrived in a flurry on saturday morning in her ruuning gear so off we went. A comfortable 6k - shame it rained so much - not happy :( and my poor daughter Anna (youngest and 13 on Friday - so still stuck in birthday haze) decided to come on her bike. We all got soaked - but we had a laugh..


Anyway friends around to dinner - all these lovely ladies and I have been friends for 20+ years and what a great night we had. Cheesy cooked - gorgeous. Fran (BFF) was v sensible and has been off the dreaded booze since NYE but the rest of us - well :( There was a lot for the recycling this morning and then the BIG RUN....
We had a route planned, the boys went off to the rugby and off we set. It was absolutley gorgeous, cold, bright and lovely. The first bit (2 miles) was ok, thorugh Stoke Bishop and WOT, then onto the dreaded Bristol Portway - along the river. Hateful absolutley hateful. Calves were aching and it hurt, really hurt. Fran said her bum muscles were twinging and well what a pair we were. 
Here's the thing, after we had climbed the hill from the Portway to the Downs it got easier and at about 6 miles the weirdest thing happened - it actually got better and yes, actually we did enjoy it. The pace was good, the breathing ok and yes it was ok.
So there you have it, I needed to do 8.5 miles and did 9.06 miles. 14.48K - OMG!!!
That is a PB - wow - 9 miles - never never ever did I ever think that I could ever run 9 miles. So chuffed....
Thinking of giving up the booze until after the big race....

Tired legs...... sofa, afternoon nap?

found this - made me laugh.... so have spent the day (mainly) on the sofa and eating. And no I do not feel guilty. :)


Took the kids to school, admin, coffee meeting with Alex to show me how to really do linkedin. Then food, TV and laptop on the sofa... 2 hours until i have to pick up children - do I have time for an afternoon nap?? xx

Valentines running training...

Happy Valentines day running buddies... started the say with the gorgeous Kim. I was still euphoric about doing 2 x 10K in a week and still being able to walk, but NO that, apparantley is not enough...so its run run run and we, ooops silly me I mean I have to up the miles, but by only 10% a week, otherwise I'll get injured!!


My BFF is coming this weekend and we have planned a 10 miler - I know I know OMG!! But I've got to break the 10 mile barrier soon. Marathon is 67 days today and its much less - 26 days to the Bath half!!! Anway apparatnley according to the guru (Kim) that's a step too far, and my homework is just to map my long longs between now and the BIG day. At least its half term this week and I run to get out of the house!!


How moly when did running get this scientific and strategic and so hard, or was it because I just started toooo late. Oops..


next time running buddies...

Feels like progress...

So heres a thing 2 x 10K in a week, the first (last sunday) I could hardly walk for 2 days (and not in a good way!) and then 10K yesterday - OK OK you read it and it was only 9.68K but I was fine today, HONESTLY FINE!! I wanted to run today but ran (excuse the pun) out of time.. but that is progress!!!


So a short blog - just wanted to say!!

Bra malfunction..

Beautiful afternoon, a run with one of my BFFs and a desire to run 10K - walk run you understand.

It was cold but sunny and lots of runners out on Bristol Downs, managed to chat most of the way around , and was in fits of laughter when I realised something had pinged and there defiantly wasn't the usual amount of support as usual (if you know what I mean).

Now they are not called Shock Absorbers for nothing. Nothing moves - honest! So when it pings you can really feel the difference. (Wanting to share the experience without it turning into a porn story!!)

So there we were, Jules feeling her way up my back and through all the layers, people out for a stroll on a sunny Saturday afternoon and they got a laugh!! :) Both of us in fits of laughter... guess it loses the humour in translation - had to be there.

Anyway , lovely run along the Downs, down past Badminton and along Canford Lane. 9.68K - 1hr 22mins (including the bra malfunction). Here's the kicker - could have run more, now surely that is a good sign??

Wine and pasta planned tonight and now a long hot bath.. more running tomorrow xx

Always pleasantly surprised by people

How does that saying go? "There nowt as queer as folk"


Well logged on this morning and saw another sponsor - so that was nice, followed the link and was absolutely gobsmacked that it was from an old work colleague, he's not old, its just been a while since we worked together. We had a kind of professional disagreement, and there are always 2 sides to every version. My version is clear - he treated me badly, uncalled for and unnecessary, but I'm a contractor so you suck it up and move on, recognising that maybe just maybe his ego got in the way. (he used to work for me, i moved on, introduced him to a role where I was working and knew that if he got it, I would be working for him. Not a problem for me - he's a great guy, very ambitious and very talented, and after all I'm a contractor so would move on. Anyway his ego got in the way and that was the end of that. And unfortunately a very happy business relationship. He deleted our linked in and FB connection, shame really. Great shame, but I believe in Karma.


So you can imagine that I was gobsmacked that he sponsored me, so if you are reading this - thank you I really really appreciate it, goodness how you found my blog, but thanks anyway, I miss our chats and hope work, all the kids and life is going really well. I always believed in you and you know that - life is too short. So lets catch up xx


So back to the running, this morning....5k run with the run club, wonderful group of people ranging from 20 - 73 - I'm somewhere in the middle!! Cold morning, but beautiful run, my calves are still killing me, got to get a move on as hot bath awaiting, and then back to back meetings all afternoon followed by a business launch tonight.


So if this blog has raised some money and connected me back with an old work colleague then today has been a great day.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

10k 10k 10k 10k - woo hoo!!

10K - massive BIG tick!!


Ok so imagine I'm singing 10k 10k 10k and doing a silling dance...


It was 2 days ago - 2 days ago and my calves still hurt! Kim did her worst this morning, and they are better - but honestly what is this lactic acid stuff?
It will be worth it, it WILL be worth it - think about the end game....


The sense of satisfaction, the fund raising, the sense of achievement...


To find out more about what I'm doing and why, please visit http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/LindaDaviesCarr where you can also sponsor me online.

Don't forget to tick the box to reclaim Gift Aid on your donation if you're a UK tax payer. Virgin Money Giving will pass this on in full to charity, making your donation go even further.



Thanks L xx