One week, one week, one week…before the Berlin marathon. To say I’m terrified is something of an understatement.
The weekend was nice and relaxed though thankfully. Friday night we went out to Nando’s again with friends. Nando’s is becoming dangerously addictive! On Saturday morning I was tempted to go to parkrun to do an easy gentle 5k but after running 10k on Thursday night and cross-training Friday I decided to be super sensible and go pool running instead.
Float time in the swimming pool…
Like last time I took my waterproof iPhone cover and Bluetooth headphones so I could listen to music and keep myself entertained. I was just doing my thing when suddenly my music stopped. I looked over to the side where I left my iPhone and saw it had vanished. Uh oh. I looked down in the water to see it glowing at the bottom of the pool. A small child had managed to knock it in accidentally. He stood there looking all guilty and said “Shall I dive down to fetch it?”… “err yeah” I said, trying my best not to panic. Luckily it was fine and the child lived on for another day. Whew. So 35 minutes of pool running went OK other than that incident.
The rest of the day was non-descript but in a lovely “got no plans” kind of way. Lots of walks with Alfie and watching Kings of Summer (which I highly recommend).
Sunday morning was long run time. I set my alarm for 8am and decided to test out a possible pre-marathon breakfast. My plan is to have two of the Beet It flapjacks before the race. They’re 235 calories each so my thinking was two would be perfect for a good breakfast and I get the whole beetroot benefits (boosting endurance).
Alfie was very interested
I’ve tried the bars before but just at work when I fancy a snack. They’re so tasty – kind of earthy but sweet and crumbly. Anyway I had two and then got myself ready and took Alfie for a longer walk than I usually would before a run, just to give myself a good amount of digestion time.
My tummy felt a bit strange after eating two bars. Not like I was sick or anything would happen, but just not completely right. I instantly regretted eating the bars and decided there and then to stick to my usual porridge before the marathon. I was sad about the bars but it was worth a shot.
On the actual run though my stomach was fine and I just got on with, well, running. I aimed to stay at around 8.30mins/mile as this is nice and easy. I felt quite slow if I’m honest but on my second mile I looked at my watch and found I was storming along 7.30-45mins/mile! I immediately slowed down. I continued letting my mind drift and listen to my podcast and realised I had sped up again.
But it didn’t feel tough at all. This was dangerous territory to be on and I snapped myself out of it and forced myself to slow down. This is not the time I want to have the best run of the month – that’s next week I hope! I need to save it for then, not on a training run.
Anyway the run went fine. No shin discomfort. Just a normal run – woooohooooo! And afterwards I just felt normal aches and tiredness like I would after a long run. And even today I feel fine! I can hardly believe it.
Now this might be completely coincidental but I could it have been the beetroot bars that helped? I felt so fresh and good on the run and even when I was running faster I felt like I was running a minute slower. Now I’m confused. But I do still have the Beet It shots which give the same amount of beetroot power as the bars and then I can still have my porridge. So I need to trial a shot before a morning run this week…
After the run I got showered and we headed to a local pub to have lunch with my parents and Ben’s mum.
Family lunch
I realise my choice of food is odd but hey ho. I had a mango chicken salad to start and, er, a chicken, beetroot and goat’s cheese salad for main…with sweet potato fries 😉 You might have thought I’d have had enough beetroot at this point. You would be wrong.
And pudding…oh pudding, how I do love you. I had a hot chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Need I say it was to die for?
It was such a lovely lunch.
And cheers to my dad for the lovely ski whiffed photo!
After walking Alfie when I got back, this is pretty much what I felt like for the rest of the afternoon:
Knackered
What did you get up to this weekend?
Are you good with small children? Or children in general really? I am not.
Are you a starter or a pudding person? It really depends for me, usually I will only go for one but I was quite hungry. Normally it’s pudding if they have something good.
I still haven’t been to Nandos. I’m not sure why really! It is really interesting about the marathon training and stomach issues because I (although will never run a marathon) really really suffer with my stomach after a longer run. For me a longer run is anything over 6 miles. Yesterday having completed Hursley 10k I dry wretched about 3 times then felt incredibly unwell for about 3 hours. I had eaten well before and well after, by well I mean solid healthy food but I still felt really sick. I eventually wondered if it was my blood sugar and had a huge glass of ginger beer (non alcoholic obviously) and the sugar must have hit me immediately as I felt better within minutes. All very odd but will keep an eye on this. I’m not great with small children either and I have two, don’t worry though they have their uses such as more excuses to buy haribo ! x
Nando’s is great for an easy, relaxed meal. It’s nothing fancy of special but I love it as it’s just so informal and the chicken is amazing.
I’m sorry about Hursley! I have no idea really apart race nutrition. I just try to eat more than an hour before the race (usually porridge and a black coffee) and then I give myself a fair bit of time afterwards as I never fancy food. After the Paris marathon it took hours before I fancied eating. I think your body just needs to get back to normal first. But it’s also very different for different people!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
Eeek on the phone, silly child! Glad it was ok!
Interesting on the bars and the run, maybe you could have one before bed the night before? Don’t know if that would make any difference without the weird stomach? You can’t beat beet 😉
Claire @ Flake and Cake recently posted…Eats and Feats
I’m in such a quandary about the whole breakfast thing now. I think I might just take a beetroot shot the night before (it lasts 24 hours) and then stick to my usual porridge. It’s a minefield this pre-race eating business!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
So so jealous you are doing the Berlin marathon! Berlin is one of my fave places. There is no way I’d be able to run all that way, but for that city, I would train for it! I’ve got a half in a few weeks and that will be enough of a mission.
You always make me want nandos, mmmm chicken, shame I can’t get in with their spices!
Catherine recently posted…Half marathon training update 2, plus other bits of life
I love Berlin too. Luckily I have a friend out there so I’ve been about four or five times, but Ben’s never been. It is just so friendly and easy to get around as well.
Aww not even Nando’s mango and lime or lemon and herb spice? They’re really mild. I go for medium as I quite like it slightly spicy 😀
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
Glad all is looking good for Berlin 🙂 I have a beetroot powder that I mix with water and have before long runs, I do find it helps. I can’t believe that child nearly killed your iPhone!
Lauren (@poweredbypb) recently posted…Conquer the Cold with London Winter Run 2015
I need to have a look into beetroot powder I think, sounds like it could be for me!
I know – seriously, small children + me = not good.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
Oh no! I am glad your phone is okay. I would have had mini meltdown.
I have still never been to Nandos, I really want to try it though.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on What Fitness Means To Me (Win a £100/$150 Nike Voucher) by Joan Harrington
Nando’s isn’t posh or fancy, but it’s just so easy and relaxed. A great place for an easy meal with friends 🙂
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
Oooh, so lucky that your phone was OK. I always read about people leaving them in bags of rice if they drop them in water and that seems to work.
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes recently posted…Simple ideas on how to practise self-love
I’ll bare that in mind thanks! I was genuinely terrified. What would I do without my phone!?
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
YUM!! Lunch looks delicious!! You guys are so cute!! …and that cake?!! YUM!! Chocolate cake is literally like, the best thing ever!! haha!!
Cailee recently posted…Monday’s Motivation- Hello Healthy Breakfast!
Chocolate cake is never usually top of my list BUT when it’s served hot with ice cream it’s a game changer. It balances sooo well. Love it.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
I wonder if the bars have more calories than your porridge, and thus provided you with more energy? They might be a better mixture of sugar and complex carbs as well, particularly if you have your porridge plain (great long-term energy source, not so great in terms of simple sugars for an instant boost). From what I understand about nitrates and the benefits of beetroot (I hate the way they’re called ‘beets’ in the US…not sure why :P) I don’t know that they would work that quickly? Even if it’s psychosomatic though, the shots have got to be worth a…err, shot.
Oh God, don’t let me near kids. Or don’t let kids near me. I can’t stand children of any age. Some babies can be cute in a photogenic sense, but I do NOT get on with children. They actually scare me because they can be so cruel, and the noise of babies crying grates on my nerves like nails on a blackboard. I was not born human, I swear. I’d rather have kittens! Kids I will run screaming from the room from…I would go so far as to say that I legitimately hate them. Cats on the other hand? They melt my heart every time.
Things are definitely looking good for Berlin on the strength of your run 😀
Jess recently posted…Fitness vs. Fashion?
Ohhhh I just don’t know what to do now about breakfast!!! Usually I don’t have any sugar in my porridge but we’ve got these instant pots that we’re taking with us that you just add water and one of them is caramel flavoured so thinking maybe that will work in terms of instant energy. But they’re only 215 calories!? Maybe I could have a pot of porridge AND a bar… or just play safe with the porridge and have a shot as well. Or two pots of porridge? *bangs head against desk* too hard to think.
Yep, small children and me don’t go well together. I’m so awkward. But a dog comes along? Whole different story!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
I thought that the beetroot had a cumulative effect- in that you had to take it regularly? But then with medicines even if people know they are a placebo they still have some effect, so who knows!
Great news that your run went so well- just make sure you keep the pace easy next weekend, esp for the first half.
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…What would I say to my younger self?
Yep I have a very strict pacing plan which I will no veer off of unless right at the end (like 4-3 miles left) I feel good and want to push it a bit harder – we’re talking a 10-20 second pace change at absolute best. It’s pretty much easy all the way through – it has to be with my lack of training. It’s just the distance making things seem harder that I need to be careful about. It worked in Paris, I just hope it works again. The first 10 miles should feel very very easy (fingers crossed!) and then I guess it will just start to feel harder as the miles add to my legs.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
I have to be honest, Im not jealous you are doing the marathon but I AMMMMM jealous you are going to Berlin – such a beautiful, beautiful city!
lucie recently posted…9 Top Tips To Get a Healthy Vegan Glow
I do love Berlin. So friendly, accessible and so much to see. I’ve been before but Ben hasn’t so I can’t wait to see it with him as I’ve only ever gone with friends before 🙂
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Drowning iPhones, beetroot and chocolate fudge cake
Glad the phone survived although it would probably have been more interesting to hear what you did had it not! Hehe!
When I go out I tend to have a starter as a main course and then a dessert as I often get Dan’s side salad/veg from his main course to accompany my starter. And I like to finish with something sweet. 🙂
Your Berlin marathon is sounding much more promising than it was a few months ago. I hope your body behaves as well on the day! Does Berlin have a tracker?
Mary recently posted…Scarecrowy Stanwick
Probably be on the front page of the Daily Mail “Enraged girl drowns small child for dropping iPhone into swimming pool”…or something of the like 😉
Yes – there’s an app you can download on your phone for Berlin. I don’t know my bib number but I’ll share on Twitter as soon as I do – because after all, the more pressure the better right? 😉
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Let’s get the excuses in now…