So week 3, it started so well, but ended on a bombshell that makes me wonder how I’ll ever manage the marathon challenge.
The good bits were the short weekday sessions. A Monday night 4.5 mile tempo run with Ellie. Pace and chat, can’t be bad! Then despite a massive drop in temperature, I multi tasked to fit in run number 2 by taking my car in for a service and opting to run home and not have a courtesy car. To be honest it’s not the first time and Sytner are used to me rocking up to their glossy showroom in my running gear ( ok I kept the bobble hat off ). I’m used to waiting for my service advisor along with the business men in suits and corporate ladies in heels and me in my muddy trainers. I was bold, I got the dealerships managers name ready to request sponsorship. There must be a few quid to spare looking round the showroom at thousands of pounds worth of gleaming BMWs.

Once outside , I whipped out ‘the hat’, I couldn’t face the ridicule of the glamorous reception staff! It was a horrific -2 degrees and I conquered my fear of icy pavements by running the 5.3 miles home. Perhaps I should say mincing rather than running although I did get quicker as my confidence built. My legs were purple despite my sweaty face and yes I was in full length leggings…..I’ve never quite understood the whole shorts and woolly hat thing that you see a lot of at this time of year.

Run three is described on my Garmin history as ’round the block’ ; it’s a measured 5km from my front door and back. It’s my ‘quick one’ when I can’t seem to find the time for any more,the cheeky 350 calorie burner that you can do before friends come over for a boozy night or when my selected dessert needs 3 types of cream!

But before the longer weekend run, the bombshell. It was a visit to the hospital with my mum and dad to hear the words that she has breast cancer and will be having surgery on February 15th followed, if all goes well, with 3 weeks of radiotherapy which won’t be known for sure until after the op. Hearing the words from the consultant is quite a stark experience although handled very sensitively. My mum had absolutely convinced herself it definitely wasn’t cancer and my poor dad just sat stunned, who wouldn’t. I went along because I knew hearing those awful words was a very real possibility but I remained emotionally strong as always. But even I am panicked at what lies ahead and if I am up to providing what’s needed from me. It’s at times like this you wish you had siblings.
The wider family will be stunned, my sister in law was diagnosed with breast cancer before Christmas and is on session 3 of chemo so I’ve been shuffling my manic work diary to accommodate a weekly meeting for a lunchtime coffee for moral support. I already spread myself so thin I fear I just won’t be able to keep everyone happy and feel guilty already at the thoughts of being unable to manage everyone’s expectations of me. Oh yeah and the marathon training, well I’m running it and that’s that. Christ will I fit it all in?
The Saturday long run was appalling, I hadn’t slept, I’d hit the wine, my head was all over the place. The run wasn’t the solace it often is. I moaned, I plodded, I didn’t want to be there. But yet out popped 10km in 57 mins, not near my PB but I was staggered I got that far based on my mind set.
The road to your first marathon is without doubt a long one but I fear my journey has just got longer.

I need to hold this thought in the coming weeks

https://www.justgiving.com/Justine-Squitieri2

Categories: Ladies of a Certain Age Running (LCA), Runners Problems

Tags: 26.2, 5km, Marathon, training plans, VLM