OMG

Oh my God....I ran 18 miles today (and walked a bit too) to Sainsburys near Bluewater and back home again. It took me just over 3 hrs 30 mins and at times I thought it was never going to end.....so many hills. It is all perfect training for the London Marathon which is almost perfectly FLAT. My dream time of finishing in under 5 hours might just be possible.....maybe....hopefully....fingers crossed !!!!

It's not too late to sponsor me, here's the link or just let me how much to put on my sponsorship form.

http://www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Bateman1

It's been a great couple of weeks.

My cough has finally started to go and my training seems to be going well. I managed a couple of 5 miles runs last week and then on Friday we all went off to sunny Hastings for the weekend.

The reason for our trip was for me to run the Hastings Half Marathon on Sunday. We spent Saturday in Hastings pottering around and playing mini golf. Then in the evening we went for a really nice Italian meal to celebrate Michael's and my birthday. It also gave me a chance to load up on my carbs before the race (and have a really yummy pudding).

So Sunday morning we were all up early to open my birthday cards and pressies then I got ready for the race. It was a bit chilly to start with but luckily it wasn't raining or windy. At 10.30 the race started and off I went. I'd already been warned it was a very hilly course and within the first mile there were 2 really steep sections. Then it leveled out for a while before the long slow hill of Queensway which went on forever and ever. At the half way mark the course started to head downhill back towards the seafront and then eventually the last 3 miles were flat along the promenade. I finished in 2 hrs 27 min - I didn't break any records but I really enjoyed myself and got a lovely brass medal to keep.



Today I have started to follow my training programme again and ran 7 miles. Legs are still a bit stiff from the weekend but I'm sure they'll feel better as the week goes on. I'm hoping to do my long run on Sunday 18 miles !!!!

4 and a bit weeks to go......

Back on Track (almost)

The last few weeks haven't quite gone to plan. I wasn't expecting to get a nasty cold and cough that would throw me right off schedule. I've been trying really hard for the last week or so to get back into a training routine. Each run got a bit better with a bit less coughing. Now and again I would have to stop completely and just cough, cough, cough. I haven't been able to do any really long runs but have managed a few 5 miles.

Mothers Day was spent in Greenwich Park. I went for a lovely run in the sunshine and warmth while Peter took the kids off to explore. I was planning to do about 10 miles round the park and Blackheath but once again the cough got the better of me and I only did about 5 miles. 5 miles is still better than nothing and I'm still as determined as ever to keep going and not give in.

Tomorrow I hope to do 7 miles, 6 on Thursday and then Friday we're all going to Hastings for the weekend so I can run the Hastings Half Marathon on Sunday (my birthday). The course is supposed to be quite tough - the first 6 miles are all up hill - some steeper than others. Then the rest is downhill to the seafront with the final 3 miles along the sea. If the weather stays warm it should be a nice weekend.

Just under 6 weeks to go !!!!!!!!

1st run in ages today.....

It's been 2 weeks today since I last went running. I've had a cough and cold from hell. I was determined to run today as I'm getting so behind on my training programme. Even if I had to take a box of tissues with me I was going.

I drove to Gravesend to run around the flat park and considering it had been ages since my last run, I felt pretty strong and ran a mile and a bit before stopping. The only reason I stopped was because half the park was shut for maintenance and I couldn't work out how to get out ! As I'd stopped anyway I thought I'd have a gulp of water - big mistake, I couldn't stop coughing. After what seemed like a lifetime of coughing I decided to call it a day. At least it's a start and hopefully over the next few days I'll start to feel a bit better and run a bit further. This cold couldn't have come at a worse time but I'm sure I'll be able to catch up over the next 7 weeks.

Sarah xxx

No training done this week !!!!

It must have been one of my 3 kids who decided to share a lovely cold with me. I've had the worst sore throat ever since last Friday, I even went to the doctors. A virus, (of course) what else could it be, everything's a virus these days. As antibiotics can't help my virus I've been living on paracetamol and ibuprofen for about a week now. It could catch on as a new diet fad - I've lost 5lbs.

So today is the first day in ages that I haven't taken any pain killers and I've stopped rattling. I'm hoping to restart running over the weekend as I haven't been since last Wednesday. I did think about doing my 14 miles last Sunday but when I got up in the morning I felt so rough I just went back to bed.

I've got quite a lot of catching up to do. I'll be stuffing my face with carbs and drinking loads of water to rehydrate ready for a short run tomorrow. Don't think I'll attempt 14 miles this weekend, but maybe later in the week I'll have a bit more energy.

8 weeks to go this Sunday. On Monday I'll be able to say "Next month I'm running the London Marathon" OMG......

Sarah xxxxxx

Where is the time going ?

I can't believe that it is only 10 weeks today until the London Marathon. It doesn't seem so long ago that I was trying really hard to run just one mile and now today I ran 12 miles. Ok, as usual it wasn't in a record breaking time (2 hours 20 mins) and I did stop to walk on the odd hill or two....but I did it.

I'm hoping that my photo of me crossing the finish line has a time that begins with a 4. Knowing my luck it will be 5:00:01 and there will be a giant yellow banana in the background or one of those rhino runners. My aim is to finish in under 5 hours, my original dream of just over 4 hours, I now realise was just a fantasy.

This week my training will hopefully go to plan even with the kids at home for half term. Tuesday is a 6 mile run, Thursday hill running (yuck...I HATE HILLS), 3 miles on Saturday and then the long one Sunday - 14 miles.

I've had some lovely people sponsor me this week. One of the girl's teachers at parent evening asked to sponsor me and then one of my neighbours saw my poster in my car and sponsored me a pound a mile. Really generous of them. There's a link to my sponsorship page on the right or ask me for my sponsorship form - i carry it everywhere.

Thanks for reading. Sarah xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I did it - I ran 10 miles.

I've decided to mess around with my training schedule and change the days of my runs. Sunday's "Long Slow Run" was proving too hard after working all night on a Saturday. I just didn't have the energy to run 10 miles or more.

So now my long runs will be on a Wednesday - the 1st was today. I ran 10 miles.....whoop whoop. Ok, I ran and walked a slow 10 miles in 2 hours 2 mins (that's about a 12 min mile). It's not going to break any records - but I did it.

I ran 3 miles yesterday, I get a day off tomorrow to recover, then 4 miles on Friday and Saturday. Sundays and Mondays will now be rest days to catch up on sleep after working nights at the weekend.

So after my long run today I have a good excuse to eat loads to refuel. This might involve chocolate !!!!

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me this week. My total is going up all the time.

Sarah xxxxx