Ellie's Run to the New York Marathon

I've moved :)

Decided to start writing again at ellieboyd.wordpress.com - come and visit! Not just running this time round, though I suspect that the first post will be about that very thing!

I do realise

that at some point I should post a race report - but for some reason I am lacking motivation to do so. Maybe it was all about the journey and not the destination???

Will hopefully write report at some stage soon.

In the meantime, thanks everyone for all your support!

PS - I finished the marathon :)

Here we go!!!

So exam and assignment and are all done! There is still a bit of work to be done this afternoon but I am on track to leave tomorrow and leave the computer behind (maybe, I can't quite commit to that yet...).

How am I feeling? Actually it is an interesting mix of apprehensive, impatient, excited, sh*t scared. Actually I am pretty keen to get it over and done with and be back in life again!

I am going to save the mushy thank you post for when I have actually finished that marathon!

When you all get up next Monday and want to know whether and if so how I finished up:

this is where the results will be

My bib number is 52844 :) (which is kind of weird because there are only 40,000 people running in the race...

Please send all your psychic energy my way in the middle of the night on Sunday!

E x

Looking good!

Right so had a visit to physio Brad yesterday and all is looking good. Unfortunately everything seems to be getting better because I am doing less! Which I am feeling pretty anxious about. I know that I am not going to get gaining much more fitness this close to the race, but still!!!

In fact Brad thinks I should do more water running less real running so today as it is pouring I am happy to oblige. The plan is now to water run tonight, run tomorrow, water run Sat morning with the lovely Joanne and 90 min run on Sunday. Then it is just a couple of short runs Tues/Thurs and then it is the BIG DAY!!!! 

Did I mention that I am very nervous and have a lot to do before I go? I did??  At least i have a day for my exam now (next Monday). 

I got a call yesterday from the people at Inspired Adventures who told me that I hadn't met my fundraising target yet. Now i hadn't really done much fundraising this year because I thought that I was finished! So I had $1100 yet to raise. I was a bit anxious as I will off course make up whatever I haven't raised yet myself - which was a bit scary as our trip to the US has gotten about 30% more expensive anyway just because of the exchange rate.

Anyway the upshot is that after emailing and posting my status on Facebook we raised $905 of that in less than 12 hours! I am so grateful and think that my friends and family are just the BEST. Thanks so much everyone. I like to think that we are actually making a difference!

If anyone wants to help with the last little bit:

donate here!

My fundraising page

Hi everyone,

Had a request to post the link to this years fundraising page - here it is:

fundraising page

It looks like there is nothing on there but that is simply because last year's funds haven't been transferred. If anyone would like to donate it would be much appreciated and is a truly excellent cause!

E 

Its the finaaaaaal countdown... da da da daaaaa...

Yep - less than two weeks till the marathon. My major concern over the last week has been my feet and what I can do to get them feeling a bit better. I now have some moulded orthotics, Gary has given me some *lovely* massages, ice, anti-inflammatories, and I have to say that yesterdays two hour run did feel a bit better.

It was sore afterwards but not quite the same can't walk agony it has been. And I didn't notice the pain every step of the way like before either. So that is good news. Think I will stick to 2 runs and a water run during the week and then 90 min long run on Sunday. Stretching seems to work also so I must do more of it!

I am starting to get nervous. And I have a whole lotta stuff to do before I go away. Eeeeek!!!!!

mmkay

Back in Sydney after a fairly intense 6 days of work on the Gold Coast.

And by god this marathon is getting close!!!

I

On Sunday I ran 2hrs30 mins along the beach (a few laps which was annoying but still pretty nice - except for the fact that at 5.30am in the Gold Coast the only people around are packs of drunk dudes... ugh). I ran this 2hrs30 at 6.40 pace which is a bit faster than my ideal pace for the marathon (6.45 pace). So i am happy with that.

What I was not happy with was the pain in my feet. I went back to the physio yesterday and I have some moulded orthotics to try and unload the tib post. I did a quick (for me!) 4 and a bit k this morning to test them out for blistering and how the pain went and all seems good. Off to Gary tomorrow for a bit more massage which will no doubt be agonising. But hopefully helpful.

2 hrs this weekend - which is my second last long run!!!

2 weeks yesterday till we fly out!!! Jesus there is a lot to do before then....

Resort wear...

So I am up at the Gold Coast this week for work and feel a little left out that I don't have any white clothing with Gold Embroidery and a luminous orange tan. Next time.

So the big news is that last weekend I ran for 3 hrs and 20 mins. Holy Jebus - that is a long time! I didn't quite hit 30k but I don't actually know what I did as the garmin had a bit of a 'hiccup'. I reckon 28 - 29k. That is ok. I could have kept going but suspect it would not have been very sensible as the feet were killing me. I felt really good in terms of energy, even put a little 'sprint' on back to the car. However once we started driving I started to feel less good - but by then the run was in the bank so it was all good.

Since then I have had 3 rest days in a row! Brad the physio has no miracle answers. However, today I ran 9.5k on the path along the beach and it was just beautiful - if a little hot. Was out late last night and no daylight savings here yet so when I got out the door at 6.30am it was very sunny already. Won't make that mistake on Sunday when I have to run 2hr30. Hurray taper! Who would have thought that 2hr30 wouldn't seem so bad???

I am at a beef conference at the moment with the group of graduates that I look after and I don't know why it surprised me that at the gala dinner the choices were beef for entree, and then two different beef and potato for main course! Hilarious. But I don't eat that much meat so my stomach is a little displeased this morning.

Anyway - off for some more. It is amazing how much I now know about the food v biofuel debate! I think I learn about steamflaking grain today.

where was I? again...

Righto - a quick update.

I ran for 3 hours last Sunday. That is kind of the main event so not sure anything else needs be spoken of! Pascale and Sam kindly accompanied me for which I am eternally grateful. The last half hour was the most horrendous that I have felt in a long time. About 5 walking breaks. Eek. Still it was hot and I finished. Not sure exactly how far as I lost 10 mins on the garmin when I forgot to turn it back on, but I think around 26k. Probably shouldn't have gone out as fast as we did but we were feeling good! ...then...

Since then I am having big problems with my feet. The whole run was pretty painful and I was getting quite worried. Managed to get into the physio yesterday and have a plan that involves strange foot/ankle taping, voltaren, ice, massage (but only the tib post, not the foot itself) and something else - it is a long list! Just ran and it felt pretty good actually - only intermittent pain and the tape itself didn't give me any problems which i was concerned about.

I am working in a hired office in the city this week to get away from all my distractions at home. Started yesterday and I have to say it worked! I was very productive and didn't faff about half as much as usual. Good stuff. Might look into getting a desk in an office somewhere more permanently because I think it would be a smart move financially!

Countdown is officially on!!!

It is 46 days until the NY Marathon.

Holy crap. That is not many days!!!!!!!

Last weekend I was in Vanuatu on a little holiday with my Mum. It was lovely - but not lovely for running. My attempt at doing a long run was thwarted once by my mum getting bitten by a dog! She had come to check how I was going and I was actually running back her direction. After I said goodbye to try a different road for a while I heard her scream. Horrible! And ended with a trip to Port Vila central hospital for tetanus shot and penicillin. Long run also didn't happen on the treadmill as the gym had no aircon or circulation and the longest I could last was 30 mins.

Nonetheless, got back on Monday and yesterday I hit the road for my 2hr40m run. By god it was painful. Lovely sam was with me for the last 80 mins and the poor girl had to put up with my lacklustre shuffle and a hefty whack of whingeing, particularly the last 5 mins where she was forced to become my personal cheer squad. Still I finished! Thanks Sammy :)

The plan for here on in the long run department is: Syd Half MArathon this weekend (obviously not racing) and then the week after that is 3 hours, the week after that 3hr15m (or I would quite like to make it 30k...). Then it is tapering - 2hr30 etc... 

The end really is in sight! I am kind of nervous - but super excited. I feel a bit more confident about it all now. I think that I can really do it! It might hurt like hell (hopefully it won't!) but I feel pretty good!

I'll report back after 3 hr training runs...

:)