Emotional Liverpool RNR Marathon review.

Well fuck me I done it and here is the story. The alarm went for 6.30am and instantly I thought fuck it I am having a lie in which is one of the joys of working from home. About 10 seconds later I thought shit I have got a marathon to run. So up and ready with a light breakfast and it was down to the finish line with my mate Colin who was also running. All settled in the Echo arena and all was feeling good we headed of to out start zones. So in the 5th section it was my turn to start the slog. I ended up being in the bizarre position of having the celeb starter Austin Healy hanging his hand out for a high five. I wasn’t expecting such monumental decisions to make before I had even got over the start line. I couldn’t leave old Austin hanging so I gave him a high five. So the course was heading up to both football grounds and I was doing well running a touch faster than I did in training but not that much so I thought just go with it. We passed both Everton and Liverpool football grounds and then the first dodgy point a steep hill up St Domingo. The first emotional moment was running past the Hillsborough memorial at Anfield. I swerved over to the left and gave it a kiss from my fingers by touching it. Pre race I had been speaking to Greame Hammond on Twitter who lost his older brother Phil who I played footy with as a child. He had been wishing me luck and Phil, Greame and family are always in my thoughts at certain times of the year. At this point I was at around 8 miles at St Domingo and seeing a few people stop made me think should I ? Was this the first mistake of the race I took a small breather on the steepest section not long and then it was back down into the city centre. The next hill was up Park Lane and then Upper Parliament St. I decided again to catch a breather working out I could most probably walk not that much slower up the hill than run it with half the energy used. It was after all a marathon not a sprint. Many people were walking and the main objective was to get around with any time being a bonus. I am still not sure if I set off too fast but I wasn’t having the best of runs and what a day to have it. So the end of Princess Road and half way. Still waiting on official timing to be uploaded

So on we plodded on into Princes Park and Sefton Park again taking time out to walk up hills as all thought of a good time had now gone and it was a case of survival even this early on. I was a bit down because I had managed 20 miles in training without stopping but today for whatever reason wasn’t going to plan. Next up was Barkhill Road. Deffo walked up that small section and the downhill to were my fan club was amassed. Running past them they knew nothing of my stops and my time was still pretty good. Many thanks to all friends and family who came out with the banners and posters and the massive cheer. On down to Aigburth road and again I started to walk. I had now (I found out later) a blister on each foot. Hadn’t had a blister in any other the last 8 weeks of training so that was a blow. Energy levels were a bit low now. On jogging past Chermside Road heading towards Aigburth Vale there was a man flat out receiving oxygen on a drip and the ambulance turned up (I hope he was OK) at this point I took the decision that I was not pushing myself to the edge. On reflection part of my thinks this was an easy way out but looking back now you do have to look after yourself and at the end of the day I was a 6 foot 3, near 17 Stone fella with the worst diet going and it was right to look after myself. Jogging was more replaced by walking the further we got on. Cramps were just starting when I was running so I could still actually walk at a decent pace with no trouble so the last few miles were spent walking fast. It was a lovely day along the front and I knew I would now finish taking this tactic if not achieving the time I was expecting. So with spare energy I jogged the last bit and was spurred on towards the end as more and more people cheered you on. I Spotted a fellow Fay (No relation) who was there to cheer his lad on and there I was across the line. I gave a kiss to the three band wedding ring of my late dad I wear as I crossed the line after all it was he who set me the challenge when he completed his first marathon at the age of 40 and I was just a young teen. The time was about 5 hours 10 (Awaiting official result) I was expecting possibly 4:45 and deffo under 5. It was not to be and I hope I reflect on the sensible decision to take it easy in the later stages. I was shedding a little tear and lip wobble as I crossed the line thinking about my dad but pulled myself together for the official photograph and headed into the arena. Had a bit of a funny turn packing my bag away (I assume from bending down too much) only felt a bit dizzy but I walked and sat in first aid for five mins and had a laugh with the fellas and with a bit more water I was fine. The only way to get out of the echo arena was up the stairs of the stands. That was fucking harder than the 26 miles.

So met a mate Alan afterwards who had watched the free gig. How I wish I had done that. I could tell I was still in recovery mode as you got a free beer as a finisher and gave it Alan. The first time in my life I had turned a free bevy down. Eventually got home after a delay (Bloody marathon runners) and just chilled on my bed. It was at this point once the family had left I got a bit emotional about the race and started thinking of my late dad and how proud he would of been and chuffed that I didn’t beat his time. Thats one you will always hold pops x x x.  I won’t lie I shed a few more tears. Still miss the daft old get now.  Many thanks to all involved in the race today and to anybody who completed either the half or full and to all friends and family who turned out to support me. Well done to Colin for a great time. Many thanks to all the people who sponsored me (You still can via the link below)  £613.96 and rising for The Christie hospital. Fucking hell this is sounding like an oscar winning acceptance speech so I will turn it in now.

Peace

Fay x x x x x

Edit I am never running one of these bastards again so thats my official withdrawal from Rio 2016 !!

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Marathon nerves kicking in.

So here we are and 24 hours until the Liverpool Rock’n’Roll marathon. Christ I really am doing a marathon. It was October 18th last year when I posted this BLOG  and if you don’t know the reason for my marathon challenge it is on that blog. Looking back at my Nike running app it was November 11th when I finally got my fat (Near 19 stone) are into gear and managed just 2.91 miles, it was a start. So the training continued and despite losing a half of January to a chest infection I made it to the start line of the Liverpool half marathon and beat last years time despite a crazy headwind for the last four miles. The training couldn’t of went much better for the marathon with no injuries and just one bad run out of all of them. That bad run being I ran 13 miles instead of 20 miles. Things had moved on since the 2.91 mile run. So last night some pre race nerves kicked in as I continued some what is healthy eating for me trying to put some carbs in my body all be it in the form of Heinz spaghetti. Now the race looms large and the mind games kick in. The angel on my shoulder says that your training has been done. You have nailed the 20 miles and you always run better in a race so take it nice and steady and the last six unknown miles won’t be as bad as you think and the wind is forecast tone behind you on the prom so just go out there and enjoy it. The devil on my other shoulder is saying you should have pushed yourself a bit harder  in training and lost more weight and them last six miles (and possibly more) will be payback for those times you went on the piss when Liverpool were dreaming of the title.

So a lazy day today and early to bed as it will be about a 6:30am wake up to get down to the start line be fully vasalined, Lucozade Sport and nipple plastered up for the 9am start. This marathon challenge has always been about doing it rather than time but for those who keep asking a good race would see me do it in 4 hours 30. I reckon 4 hours 45 and anything under five will be a bonus. So more spaghetti, brown bread and water is the order for today.

So thats it see you on the other side. I will blog about the race tomorrow once energy levels have picked back up. There is a slight fear of failure in me for those who have sponsored me but unless something goes wrong with my body it won’t be for the lack of trying both in the months leading up to the race and the race itself. When I cross the line my family and friends will be proud, my late father would have been proud but most of off I will of been proud of myself for doing such a challenge.

Still time to sponsor me below (Min £2) and once again many thanks to those who have.

Peace

Fay x x x x x

JustGiving – Sponsor me now!

 

A sausage roll marathon.

So this time next I will or won’t have completed the Liverpool Rock & Roll marathon. A slight set back this week as one of my daughters passed on a nice cold and so I only managed a light five miles today. One last small run on Wednesday and then it is race day on Sunday. Hoping for the weather to cool down and touch and just a gentle breeze behind on the home stretch along the prom would be nice. As ever any sponsorship is welcome and there is a banner you can click at the bottom of this blog for you to have a look at. Everywhere I look there is temptation being put in from of me. First up Home and Bargains decide to sell giant Deperado’s at 650ml a pop and only £2.35 each. The next temptation was pictured below. It’s something I stumbled across on Twitter and by the powers of the internet The County Arms is a boozer in Wandsworth. Now regular readers of this blog will know that I have been known to eat a sausage roll or two and this is a challenge throw down. Now I reckon a 2ft sausage roll will be a piece of piss and coming in at £10 it will be the most expensive sausage roll I have ever eaten eclipsing the price of a Ginsters at a service station. The only question mark is how wide will the big boy be ? I am seriously tempted to visit some in-laws in London in the summer and venture down to Wandsworth to attack this challenge. Like the marathon I am training for I could start of with just a few cocktail sausage rolls building up over the summer to attack about a one and a half foot sausage roll a few weeks before. Then the last few weeks would be a tapering session just easing back the sausage roll mileage before heading off down to South West London armed with a few litres of Gaviscon for some post marathon indigestion recovery. If I fail at least I could get a blog out of this sausage roll marathon. So it’s a date and coming to you in Summer 2014.

 

So the hot weather heralds the start of the BBQ season and more temptation. This summers job is to do our back yard up or as Hyacinth Bucket AKA Mrs Fay would say “The courtyard” having now only having the great misfortune of not having a garden in her life. On her doorstep though is one of the great gardens of urban life and Liverpool’s Sefton Park. Today we strolled down there with our three daughters to check out the artisan fayre at the palm house. Having been tipped off earlier in the day on Twitter via my @Liverpoolweath account I was told there was a Liverpool gin stall and so there was. So we sat in the beautiful sunshine with a Liverpool gin each and if it hadn’t of been for those pesky meddling kids we would have had more than one. I can say it was a belter gin and might get a bottle for next chrimbo. I normally only have a gin after 10 pints to round the night off so on a balmy afternoon in the grounds of the palm house it was a refreshing change.  It’s world gin day on Friday 13th June and there is a gin event in the palm house DETAILS HERE Sadly being so near to Glastonbury we are well and truly out of babysitters for most probably the rest of the year so might have to give that a miss (gutted) 

So as you can tell by the topics of this blog Desperado’s, 2 foot sausage rolls, BBQ’s and Liverpool gin this Liverpool marathon training is sending me crazy. Not long now and hopefully I can bore you senseless just one last time next sunday night with a joyful tale of a heroic struggle that ended in success and 26 six and a bit miles nailed. £528.96 raised so far which is much more than I ever thought I could raise and many thanks to those who have donated. They will spur me on along the prom around 24 miles when I hit the wall and start hallucinating I am running along with 2 foot sausage rolls and my Lucozade sport is a bottle of Liverpool gin.

Peace

Fay x x x x x