She's back! Dec 22, 2012

Hi everyone

Sorry for the long absence-I haven't abandoned my plans to try and nail this marathon. Just notice my last blog was Nov 7th-tut tut! Had a bad chest infection first few weeks in November really knocked me for six. Then went on holidays--summer holidays are always late if you work at the Island-something to do with thousands of pilgrims needing looked after:)
I went to Borneo-little Island off Malaysia. Had a great holiday-beautiful resort, minutes away from Orangutan Sanctuary-they have got to be the coolest animals-let's all make effort to look after such creatures before they become extinct! And the major highlight climbing Mt Kinabalu (4100metres)-highest mountain in SE Asia, 20th highest in the world, and just 8 below Everest-INSANE, MADDEST thing I have ever done-and there's been a few! So tough-two days of grueling climb but so rewarding and I now know that I WILL complete this marathon...so many mental walls were hit and overcome that I do believe now that I will make it around London's 26 miles. After 40+ hours of travelling got back home 12th Dec-straight back to work the next day (not to be recommended) and back to snow and ice. My daily beach runs seem a million miles away. But managed to get out Monday and Wednesday lunchtime just for 6k each but after the sickness and jetlag etc I feel I am back on track. Hopefully do 10k this weekend-before Santa comes.
What has really inspired me was getting almost €300 sponsorship money in the post this week -just another €19, 700 to go-we can do it!

Long overdue blog

Hi everyone
The almost 3 week absence wasn't a result of me doing some intensive altitude training somewhere hot-maybe soon! No I seem to have been plagued lately-firstly by injury to my foot which kept me out for 2 weeks and just as it was starting to come around and I was able to run on astroturf-and feeling good-I have been struck down by flu and chest infection-knocked me for six-off for a full week from work and only firing on about 1 cylinder yet-so I wish I could tell you I was now cruising at 12 miles regualarly but the old system has taken a battering. Hopefully another week finish up  my medicaiton etc, plenty of rest and maybe by next weekend I can try a little jog....keep you posted. The faith is still strong however..and I WILL be ready for April 22.
Donations still most welcome:)

Running in your bedroom slippers??

Hi everyone-well not alot to report-very slow transition back to the training programme since the well lull with the foot problem. Ran on the swamp, also known as Mitchell Park this day last week-felt okay-but wasn't too far; got a chance then to run on the 3G astrotruf pitch at Castlederg High School on Sat-ran for an hour-wow it's like running in your carpet slippers:) What do you mean you've never ran in your carpet slippers-you get the idea-....so not sure what kind of distance but reckon I will get another two sessions on that this coming week and see how the foot holds up before I revert back to my training programme....few more wee sponsors this week...just a few but still will be campaigning hard after Christmas....until the next time..

She's back!

Hi there-well a week on and 2 more physio sessions and lots of rest (v difficult) I have permission from Declan, my physio to try a few laps on grass pitch tonight and see how the foot holds up-26 miles seems a long way from a few laps but I guess I'll have to be patient. Hopefully be back on the road by the weekend so we'll see how things go then.Maybe the sun will have came back by then-or at least the rain stopped!
Til the next time

Marathon on Hold:(

Hi everyone
Nearly a week since the last blog....wishing I could stall things and come back with a bright and cheery blog but alas not to be...foot was sore all last week-never really eased-tried to take it easy at the weekend-even pampering these road weary paws with a pedicure....very nice-first one ever:) Ran on Monday 6 mile -sore every step of the way-and very sore then yesterday-went to see my physio last night-he fears it might be a stress fracture of the metatarsel? somewhere along the outside of the foot:( I will know more tomorrow when I go back to him-praying that it is just tendonitis; after 2 years of regular physio after surgery I was hoping I was done with this kind of pain and physio...but this marathon challenge is bigger than I thought and 4 operations later, my foot may be saying 'Are you kidding?'-any wee prayers to get me back on track would be appreciated-feeling pretty miserable-have school retreat today with 50 students from Castleblayney-great bunch but on my feet all day despite physio's orders to rest and ice!!
Keep you posted soon

Ouch! Sore foot:(

Hi there-well it;s thursday-we are in the midst of an overnight school retreat at the Island with 50 great students from Bray. My foot that reported as saying was sore on my last blog hasn't eased up.I ran on treadmill on Monday-just 40 mins (nearly 5 miles)-sore with each step-what's the verdict-to run through pain or to rest-my old karate head of no pain no gain is still my core philosphy:) Not so wise perhaps-foot been very sore since-on my feet all day yesterday with this group until 11pm last night-one very puffy ankle going to bed-rubbed on a bit of magic thai oil-felt good-and then a mountain hike with them in the wilds of Donegal this morning-beautiful hike but more ankle bashing....what to do-maybe rest it this weekend-skip the long run -or try the long run and see if it eases....keep posted to see what this rookie marathoner attempts!

Monday 26th September-blue skies:)

Hi there-well enjoyed my first weekend off since May....ended up doing the  long run not on sunday as I predicted but Thursday as it was a beautiful day-8 miles again-in 74 mins-5 mins quicker than last week-it went okay-will try and scout out a new 9/10  mile route this week to do at the weekend. Ran then again on Saturday morning, despite my right foot-not even ankle being very sore?? Just a wee 4miler-foot didn't really improve-wee bit worried but we'll see. Walked then in the afternoon about 3 miles-foot didn't really ease....rest on Sunday-courtesy of open fire and double dose of X Factor (UK & USA)!
Intend to do 5mile later today-but will just have to see how the foot holds up.
Was delighted to get my first sponsorship the last few days of the retreats-and cheque for £26.00 today:) This will definitely help keep me motivated.

Windy Wed

Hi wednesday since I started training a few weeks ago has been my 'long' run -still not very long-but now that I have weekends back after 20 weekends of pilgrimages and retreats I am going to change that to a Sunday-had physio yesterday -needless to say Declan who painstakingly worked at my rather decrepid ankle for 18mths is not entirely over the moon about this decision of mine to run a marathon-or try to...but he'll keep me right. He was surpised at how still underdeveloped the right calf is compared to the left:( but time will help. Filled me full of a little dread when he says in his experience of treating marathon runners the body tends to break down in training when they reach the 15-18 mile mark. Hoping to do a 9 miler this weekend-so I should be okay for a few miles yet:)

Wet Monday-2nd last day of the Season

Due to do a wee 4 miler today-pretty wrecked from a long week last week-no days off:( and very busy weekend here at the Island ..and I think I am getting a cold....I know excuses excuses excuses...but I went to our little Island gym while pilgrims were in Mass and did 4.5 miles:) Job done for today....first session with my physio tomorrow just to keep this ankle in check

Day 1

Hi well first time blogging, first time attempting a marathon-going to try this blogging to try and keep me motivated-figure if even one person is interested in hearing about my progress-it will keep me somewhat accountable to getting this thing done!
Big question-why am I doing this marathon? Well always wanted to do one before I was 40-that timeframe has elapsed by a year-but one silly little accident caused undue havoc with my right ankle-a break, ruptured ligaments-4 surgeries and an awful lot of pain, physio, and money (surgery is v expensive) has got me back on my feet...what kept me going through all the torturous physio (sorry Declan but you were tough task master) was the need to be able to run again-and so I can-a little...ankle about 80% -what better way to be thankful for all that is to run for miles and miles ( I feel a Proclaimers song coming on:)...this is my 10yr at Lough Derg-10 good years-so many ups and downs but mainly ups...this is a way of saying thanks, counting my blessings:) and raise some much needed cash for the place....so voila here I am about to embark on what I know will be a tough journey but hopefully rewarding. I am also running to raise money for kids who will never walk again-kids with disabilities to allow them to get into sport-I will try and keep this updated regularly