Once upon a time I hated running. Then as you know I discovered Sweatshop, parkrun and started to enjoy myself a little. Then I started races, getting medals for running and other lovely stuff. Before you knew it I had rather rashly signed up to my double marathon experience (get on with it I hear you cry). So now how to manage training - bring on the Sunday Selfie Runners! My cunning trick to get most other runners I know drag me along to complete the required mileage for Brighton and London. A simple Facebook group, some willing volunteers and a simple bit of mind games so they believe I'm some how helping them to reach their marathon goals!
We head out every Sunday on a fabulous route mapped on plotaroute.com by our routemaster General. The distance is always set by me based on my training plan (see I'm Machiavelli) and I fool them into thinking it's fun by stopping now and then to take selfies. All the while ensuring I can't bottle out of training because I'm surrounded by people who quite frankly will just nag me till I finish. We all find our own pace and sometimes we lose people on the way round (Ed never seems to go far with us). And some of the men seem to find the energy to race each other at the end of the long runs too!
It works a treat. So much so that I've passed through some of the tough parts of training - each week becomes a longest ever run - 15 miles, 16 miles, 17 miles - blimey I can crawl to the end of the marathon if I know I can run that far. Today we began a new technique - including races as part of training. Well if you're going to train for a marathon may as well get some bling. So I ran Headcorn Half with my selfie crew. Then to get to 18 miles I did a 5 miler back at home. Another milestone passed.
Even better 2 weeks ago I hit 50 parkruns a very special milestone and it allowed me to share my views on what I recommend as the ideal way to celebrate 50 runs. If you haven't been to parkrun. Why not? Get there at once. Find your local at www.parkrun.org. So the top 10 essentials to make your 50th run a big hit:
1. Tell everyone you know it's going to be 50 runs on Saturday - social media works wonders and if you're really lucky you may get some cards.
2. Find a red shirt to wear - you get a lovely free red shirt from parkrun for 50 runs so why not pretend you're wearing it on the day.
3. Get a badge, or multiple badges - that way everyone knows today is the day.
4. Arrive early - you want to make sure you're in a good position for the run briefing and to soak up congrats for those who've caught up with social media (see number 1).
5. Be sure you've arranged a cheering squad - make sure all friends are in attendance for the big 50. If it looks like they won't be there then delay that all important run by volunteering.
6. If they call your name - head to the front, go one don't be scared. Everyone just wants to enjoy your moment - you've earned it after all.
7. Make the most of your time at the front - perhaps pause to take a selfie, pose for official photos and hope that some of those also celebrating their 10th, 50th or 100th runs will join you.
8. Do your very best to run a PB - ignore all pleas by the Run Director to be careful of ice and RUN!
9. Don't be upset if you fail to get a PB - after all you were clearly instructed by the Run Director not to run fast because of ice.
10. See if you can get someone to bring you a cake! You've just run 5k, there is always room for cake so - even if no one is kind enough to bring you a celebration cake - stop in to Dotty's and join us all for a post run debrief and continue the celebration.
2. Find a red shirt to wear - you get a lovely free red shirt from parkrun for 50 runs so why not pretend you're wearing it on the day.
3. Get a badge, or multiple badges - that way everyone knows today is the day.
4. Arrive early - you want to make sure you're in a good position for the run briefing and to soak up congrats for those who've caught up with social media (see number 1).
5. Be sure you've arranged a cheering squad - make sure all friends are in attendance for the big 50. If it looks like they won't be there then delay that all important run by volunteering.
6. If they call your name - head to the front, go one don't be scared. Everyone just wants to enjoy your moment - you've earned it after all.
7. Make the most of your time at the front - perhaps pause to take a selfie, pose for official photos and hope that some of those also celebrating their 10th, 50th or 100th runs will join you.
8. Do your very best to run a PB - ignore all pleas by the Run Director to be careful of ice and RUN!
9. Don't be upset if you fail to get a PB - after all you were clearly instructed by the Run Director not to run fast because of ice.
10. See if you can get someone to bring you a cake! You've just run 5k, there is always room for cake so - even if no one is kind enough to bring you a celebration cake - stop in to Dotty's and join us all for a post run debrief and continue the celebration.
The biggest milestone is yet to come - in a couple of weeks I have to run 20 miles. Of course I'm doing it as part of a race (I want a medal for this!) and then a week later? Well a week later I'm going to run 20 miles again! It's another race and apparently as I have to run 2 marathons I may as well practice this back to back running thing. I'm hoping I can persuade some chums to come out with me. Maybe we can take a few selfies? I think we may be the only people who take selfies mid race though....
Oh but at least I know when it really isn't appropriate for a selfie as today mid race I passed my biggest milestone of all - and luckily I had some toilet paper.....
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