Day 53. The Run that got me a Phone Number**

Miles: 13.2

Time: 2 Hours 42 Mins

I’m over halfway!! After last weekend’s shocking efforts this weekend was so much better! I ran down through Egham to Staines, and back around Englefield Green. I’m starting to feel quite an irrational hatred towards Tite Hill. I start running up it, which is horrendous, but it levels off. But then, just as you turn the corner, you realise the hill isn’t finished, and that actually, it has only just begun. It’s torture.

So anyway! I was a little nervous about getting tired again, so I popped to the SweatShop to get some supplies – running jelly beans and an energy bar. I came home, ate the energy bar and thought, I’ll just have a cuddle with this little fella before I go:

 

Two hours later when I woke up from my nap (yep, the energy bar was useless), I set off. I’m always really slow for the first mile of the run because it’s difficult to know how to pace myself for a long run. 

So, I’m running down past Burger King (smelled amazing) and I’m waiting to cross the road, when a white van pulls up. There is a man in the passenger seat who started smiling at me. I smiled back, because obviously, I’m a smiley happy person. Plus he was beautiful.

However, the next minute, he hops out of the van, gives me his number, winks, gets back in the van and drives off. Not exactly sure where he expected me to store it….

So, the rest of the run. As usual, I had to pee, so a pit stop was necessary in Costa Coffee. I didn’t realise that training for a marathon also meant training your bladder. I got home and then my legs decided that actually, they didn’t really fancy working anymore. So naturally, I put on my onesie and watched TV. Rock and roll.

**events described in this blog may be fictional and loosely based on true story. Yeah that’s right, he didn’t get out the van. But it made you read the blog didn’t it? Now get on this website and sponsor me you gossip-hungry buggers:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=therunninghobbits&isTeam=true

 

 

Day 51.

Miles: 6.5

Time: 1 Hour 

I’m getting faster! When I was in the Czech Republic I was 4 minutes slower! So that’s pretty good! However, nothing remotely exciting happened on this run. Well, I got to the furthest point away from my house and then it starting raining, but I wouldn’t exactly describe that as “exciting”. My hair got wet.

Day 50.

Good evening you lovely individuals!

I know I have been very useless and have not blogged about the training for some time! But never fear – I haven’t been sat on my bum this whole time (just a little bit of it…)

So on Sunday I did my longest run yet, 10.84 miles, but I was aiming for 12. My legs were in an indescribable amount of pain and I did something mental to my ankle! That, combined with a cold/cough phlegm-a-thon, I haven’t ran until tonight!

Miles: 3.85

Time: 41 Mins

I did my favourite old sailboat run tonight (see previous post pictures, it is way to much fun drawing pictures on map my run). This run involves running past the pub three times. I also ran past a man with a pizza. He didn’t offer me any. 

Over and out.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=therunninghobbits&isTeam=true

Daddy Hobbit’s Training Update.

So a lot of you have mentioned to me you want to here how my Dad’s training is going as well. To this end, he has written his own blog post for you to enjoy!! And I must say, it’s a pack of bloody lies:

 

“Hello to all who read Karen’s marathon blog. Where to begin? Stitched up by my daughter seems a good start. Me and my good lady wife have a wish list comprising numerous things we want to achieve before we are too old. Having done a couple of marathons as a younger fitter sailor I stupidly thought of running again post 50. Thanks to Karen that’s now a reality. I welcome any suggestions for payback. The training is going OK. They say the hardest thing is putting on the trainers. Oh so true. After work you fancy a nice beer not a 6 miler through your local river. I’m up to 10.3 miles with about 12.5 due on Sunday. The wife keeps offering to drop me off somewhere and run back. The marathons only 26 miles I say. So why the running hobbits? Have you seen Karen’s hairy feet! We think the pain is for a good cause so please help us reach our target.”

I do not have hairy feet.

Day 43.

Miles: 6.5

Time: 1 Hour 3 Mins

Tonight I decided to try out the Runkeeper app on my phone for the first time. I wanted something that told me how far I had run as I was going along.

I started running towards the university:

“Time, 5 minutes, Distance, zero miles” My phone essentially snapped at me in a very irritating American accent. Zero Miles?! I’m half way down the bloody hill!

“Time, 10 minutes, Average Speed, 1 Second per Mile”. Not only is she borderline aggressive, she’s obviously a moron. Even if I got in a taxi and drove the marathon I couldn’t be that fast. I think that would even be a challenge for a Cheetah on speed.

I think by the second mile she realised she was being stupid and corrected herself, and from then on, was very helpful. I can still listen to my music (tonight’s delightful choice of “what I go to school for” by Busted) and it keeps me updated on the distance. It’s going to be helpful at the weekend for the longer run!

However, tonight’s run did not distract myself from the fact that my dog is apparently a dirty little player. I came home this evening to a Valentine’s card. I briefly got a bit excited thinking Ryan Gosling has finally realised I’m an incredible human being, but alas, it was addressed for the dog.

How can a dog open an envelope? His admirer is stupid.

Day 40.

Miles: 9.84

Time: 1 Hour 59 Mins

I’m pretty disappointed with today’s run. It also just took me three attempts to spell disappointed, I must be tired! I really wanted to get over 10 miles today but I seem to be hitting a bit of a wall! Frustrating. 

I ran to and from Sunningdale today. For those of you who have come to visit me, you will know Sunningdale as the area where the mansions are located. The houses are huge and beautiful and it is officially the most expensive place to live in the UK. You can see why when you run past a huge house with two Bentley’s and a Maserati parked outside. At least it takes your mind off the running. Especially because I start daydreaming about the amazing house parties I could have if I won the lottery….

Annoyingly, the weather man also lied to me today. It said it would be sunny until later this evening. It bloody wasn’t. I got 5 miles away from my house and the heavens opened so once again I was completely soaked. Running underneath loads of trees meant I was also beaten up by acorns (weirdly, not the first time). 

Fingers crossed for next week – any tips on getting over 10 miles greatly appreciated!!

Day 36.

Miles: 5.23

Time: Unknown, I left the timer on while shopping in Tesco.

Tonight I decided to run to Staines and back, I’m getting a little bit bored of the same Egham runs! I knew the day would come that work would start getting in the way of my runs, today was that day! But amazingly, I now realise that even after a shockingly bad day at least going for a run puts me in a far better mood. But then again, so does the toffee crisp I just inhaled 🙂

Sponsorship Details

Hello everyone!

As promised, here is the link for sponsoring me and my Dad for the marathon! I hope some of you can spare a pound or two 🙂

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=therunninghobbits&isTeam=true

Thanks!

Karen and Daddy!!

Day 34.

Miles: 9.3

Time: 1 Hour 55 Mins

Well this week has been quite bad for running, I missed my first scheduled run earlier in the week after catching a cold so I suffered yesterday when starting up again. I had a short 4 mile uneventful run.

But today I wanted to get above 8 miles and was aiming for about 10. I decided to run to Windsor Castle and back, it’s quite nice running through Windsor Great Park and the surrounding farm land, although my trainers are pretty caked in mud now!

However, at the end of the run I had to get back up Priest Hill – aptly named, it’s a miracle that I made it up there. So now my legs are in serious pain and I had to crawl up the stairs because walking seems too much of a challenge tonight!

And amazingly, the sponsorship for PLANETS charity has kicked off with a huge bang from Sarah! Very exciting 🙂