Having the right amount of energy to run

There are many things that are a good idea to do before going for a run: dynamic stretching, making sure you're dressed appropriately, ensuring you’re well hydrated, going to the bathroom, telling someone where you're going (as well as when you’ll be back) and making sure your phone battery is charged - these are all excellent things to do.

Eating a large plate of fish and chips an hour before running is not an excellent thing to do.

Oh the pain.

I remember the growling. It came from somewhere deep within my abdomen, bubbling and churning like a cauldron as I ran up a particularly steep hill, scanning for a gap in the bushes if the worst came to the worst. Mercifully, the cramps disappeared and I did not need to disgrace myself in public.

So what should you eat before running?

It probably depends on how long you’re running for. Personally, I found if I was running for approximately 30 to 40 minutes (or less) I could get away with eating a banana 15 minutes before the start of the run, but if I was planning to run for a lot longer than this - say 50 minutes to 2 hours - then I needed some kind of meal an hour or so beforehand.

After a bit of research, I found that anything with a high fat content is a NO before a run (which would explain the cramps previously mentioned) as it’s hard to digest. What ended up working for me were things along the lines of: a bowl of cereal, a small plate of pasta with tomatoes and rocket lettuce, or perhaps a ham salad sandwich. After a run I always made sure I stocked up on protein to aid muscle recovery, either by eating a meal with chicken or Quorn or by drinking a protein shake.

I also found I needed to take in extra fuel during longer runs (over 50 minutes). This became a bit of trial and error. I started with Lucozade, which worked quite well if I took little sips frequently throughout the run. Unfortunately my water bottle had a habit of leaking, resulting in some of the Lucozade dribbling out and leaving me with an orange hand. This made me wonder what it was doing to the inside of my body and I decided to move on to something with a bit more nutritional value. I gave High 5 energy gels a try, but found the intense sugar experience to be absolutely vile. I also managed to cut the inside of my mouth during a run, whilst attempting to tear off the little tab at the end of the sachet to open it.

After more research, I discovered energy gels can be diluted in water - result! For long runs, I now work out how many sachets I will need, based on one every half hour, squeeze them into my 500ml running bottle and top up the bottle with water. I sipped this frequently during the Glasgow half marathon and didn’t feel my energy levels dip once.

I’ve also found that there are many other ways that runners can take in energy, such as raisins, pretzels and apparently mashed sweet potato, although I’m not quite sure about the practicality of stuffing mashed sweet potato into my running belt. I’ve taken raisins with me on a couple of occasions, however, which are not too bulky and have found them to be quite nice to nibble on as I run.

Whatever I do choose to consume prior to a run, or during it, I try to make sure there are some carbs in there and keep it low in fat. And if I'm doing a race I don't try anything new that I haven't tested during training. Finally, I've realised that it's probably best to save the fish and chips for after the run, safe in the knowledge that I won't have to dive into any bushes.

Scottish winters and running

We're embracing a bit of hygge this winter. I've been a bit obsessed with this Danish custom since first learning about it on Radio 2 and have been upping the use of candles, in particular battery-operated ones (which I recently discovered exist, much to the amusement of a work colleague whom I'm convinced thinks I've only just recently swapped my animal skins and cave dwelling for a shot at life in the 21st century). Asides from the candles, there's a lot of mince pie eating, hot chocolate drinking and walking about wearing a fluffy dressing gown. Hygge is rife in our household.

One small drawback: this doesn't exactly make it easy to go out for a run. When I do manage to get out of the dressing gown and put on all the running clothes I possess, there's that awful moment when I open the front door only to be greeted by a blast of cold wind reminiscent of being slapped by twenty thousand miniature snowballs. Not exactly hygge.

However, cold weather doesn't hang around for long during a Scottish winter. One day you're wearing as many layers as a Schichttorte (see image below), the next you're contemplating wearing shorts. Last week the temperature was hovering around zero degrees Celsius but, within the space of a day, it had shot up by 15 degrees. This is a fair temperature for us in summer, never mind winter.

So basically, every run is a surprise at this time of year. I've found myself chasing my visor which has blown off my head, crunching through frozen mud, skiting across black ice, wishing I'd worn a hat on days when the wind is so cold I get brain freeze and frequently returning home with mud splatters on my face.

Some people might ask: so why on earth bother? Why not just stay home and enjoy the hygge? It's a fair question. Well, sometimes I get the combination of layers right - one extra layer to stop that initial shock when I leave the house, but not enough to overheat. And once I get going it feels good to be out of the house - away from walls - breathing in fresh air and enjoying the small amounts of daylight that we get at this time of year. In the past I used to hate the darkness of winter, but since I've taken up running I've not noticed it quite so much. Maybe it's because I've made such an effort to get out when I can, whether it's zero degrees Celsius or pouring with rain. Or perhaps it's because it's not so dark after all - what with all the Christmas decorations making everything sparkle.

Whatever it is, I still enjoy coming back home. After some stretches and a shower it's straight back into hygge-mode. A warm fire and a hot chocolate feels just that little bit cosier with a cold nose.

You're a runner now

When I signed up for the Great Scottish Run half marathon the goal was simply to see if I might be capable of doing a full marathon, perhaps the following year, to raise some money for charity. Afterwards, I imagined that I would most likely return to running a few miles per week, purely to keep fit.

What came as a surprise, both to me and my husband, was how much I looked forward to the days when I did my long runs. I think I may go as far as to say I was excited about them. To run further than I had ever run before was such a sense of achievement. Then my husband gave me his old running watch to borrow and introduced me to pace. I soon became a bit obsessed with this and logged my runs in a little book to scrutinise my pace later. As my long runs increased I worked out that I was on target to achieve a time of under 2 hours for the half marathon and this became my new goal.

But it wasn't just about reaching my target. Running made me explore my local area more. I saw my town from a new viewpoint - away from traffic and always being in a hurry - where people take the time to say hello to each other: people and their dogs, families on their bikes and the little old man out for his Sunday stroll.

I also started to learn a little bit more about the human body: about our ability to use oxygen more efficiently as we get fitter, common aches and pains that runners get - and how to overcome them - and how to find shoes that suit the way our feet pronate when we run.

I recall one time returning from training and in my post-run-endorphin-fuelled buzz saying to my husband that I wish everyone could experience that feeling.

You're a runner now,' my husband confirmed.

He was right. It's funny how you set out with a particular goal in mind and then find yourself taken on a different journey. I had hoped to sign up for the Edinburgh Marathon 2017 as soon as I completed the half marathon this year, but when I realised I wasn't ready for this I initially felt a bit sad - that maybe I would lose momentum with the whole thing and never complete a marathon. Anything beyond 'next year' just seemed so far away.

Then I realised that it just doesn't matter. Maybe I'll be ready to do a marathon in 2018, or 2019. Or maybe I'll never be ready - who knows. I'll just keep running and see where it takes me.

Overdoing it

Being a bit of a newcomer to long distance running I underestimated how much toll a half marathon would have on me. I expected to feel pretty tired after long runs and perhaps have some muscle aches for a day or two after, but I thought as long as I followed my training plan, ate properly before and after a run, stretched well and rested that I would avoid injury.

I used to think if you become injured that it would be pretty obvious. There would be some kind of popping or snapping sensation, a very sharp pain or it would be extremely difficult to move the injured limb. So when my mileage increased to around 6 mile runs and I started feeling tightness in my left hamstring, I put it down to just that - tightness in my left hamstring. A few stretches would sort that out and I would be good to go.

As my mileage increased to around 8 miles the tightness continued and occasionally shifted to my inside thigh. So I consulted the source I most commonly use when I need medical assistance: The Internet. At this point I became pretty sure that I had one of the following: a strained hamstring, a groin strain, tendonitis or possibly a stress fracture. Reading through the symptoms I came the conclusion that I had some kind of groin strain and devised an elaborate groin strap using a strapping method I also found on the internet. Weirdly, this actually did help with the hamstring/groin issue and, despite an immense amount of chaffing from the cohesive tape I used, I was able to complete the longest run of my training plan (approximately 12 miles) with minimum discomfort.

With 2 weeks to go before the half marathon I thought I would take a quick trip to see a physiotherapist to see if I could get an actual diagnosis and some tips to help me through the half marathon.

'Lay off the running,' I was told.

Not quite the words I wanted to hear. So I put my negotiating skills to use.

'I hear what you're saying, however I've kinda got a half marathon in 2 weeks.'

The compromise was I would take a week off then just do a couple of easy runs in the week running up to the race.

This sounded easy but was one of the hardest things to do. After 2 days of not running I felt a bit twitchy. After a week of not running I was sure I had lost all fitness and strength that I had built up over the last couple of months. My husband assured me that this is very common with people when they are reducing their mileage (tapering) in last 2 weeks before a race and I just needed to trust the training plan.

The paranoia continued, however, until race day and at this point I was doubtful I would make it to the end. Once the race began I was swept along by thousands of runners of all ages and abilities and the paranoia diminished. I was finally doing what I had trained so hard for! I was amazed that at the 6 mile mark I had no discomfort in my hamstring. Nothing at 7 miles either. At 8 miles the ache began however. I managed to change my stride and the ache disappeared. Then it returned about 10 minutes later, this time with a vengeance. The ache shot down my hamstring and my knee throbbed. I started to seriously doubt I would make it to the end.

I thought about what my husband had said to me during my training.

'If something isn't right, change something.'

I slowed down and focused on making my right leg take a bit more of the load. The pain decreased and at 10 miles I felt strong. At 11 miles the crowds had gathered and made such a lot of noise that I found my pace increasing. I could almost taste the finish line. About 400m to the finish line I found myself galloping towards Glasgow Green. I had to remind myself that 400m is the distance of a running track, that maybe I should pull back a bit. Then I saw the 200m sign and thought 'I'm having that!' There was no pain in my leg, just the joy of crossing the finish line and completing my first half marathon.

In retrospect, I did overdo the training. I was presumptuous that a plan would keep me injury free. What I didn't take into account was my running mileage was quite low prior to starting the training plan. Prior to the half marathon training, I was more than capable of running 3 miles at a reasonable pace, but I had only been doing this once or twice a week. This was not enough. I had no issues with my aerobic fitness as I regularly played tennis, cycled and swam, but I was not equipped from a musculoskeletal point of view to deal with the increased mileage of training for 13.1 miles of repetitive running.

I have since met with a good physiotherapist who has advised me that I have an overuse problem with my hamstring tendon. This explains the pain manifesting itself in various different places in my left leg. Now that I understand the problem I can take action to sort it out. Basically to strengthen up my glutes. I'm now in rehab, doing core strengthening exercises twice a week, cycling, swimming and running very carefully, using a running pattern similar to a couch to 10k plan. It feels strange to go back the way, but I have found that I love running so much that it is worth starting over again. The marathon may just have to wait a bit longer. 😊

Get your shoes on and get your arse out of the door

When you're new to running the biggest battle is often getting the shoes on and getting out of the house. This is especially true if it's raining/cold/getting a bit dark/5.30 in the morning. The thought of snuggling up on the couch to watch re-runs of Big Bang Theory or going back to sleep is much more appealing. Sometimes it can help to have a little bit of motivation; a gentle nudge in the right direction:

'Get your shoes on and get your arse out of the door. NOW.'

My husband has a knack of stepping in at just the right moment with just the right thing to say. Although slightly affronted, this made me laugh so much that it has become my mantra if I am struggling to get motivated.

This might not work for everyone. Other strategies I employ include:

If it's raining outside...

Wearing a cap or a visor stops the rain running down my face, which is extremely irritating.

If it's 5.30 in the morning...

I don't particularly like running in the morning. Sometimes it's a necessary evil if you're juggling time commitments, however. I also don't like running without some form of fuel so I leave a banana next to the bed, set the alarm for about 15 minutes before getting up, then when the alarm goes off eat the banana whilst getting dressed (and waking up), wait 15 minutes for banana to settle a bit then go. Once moving it is a pleasure to be up so early when it's quiet and I feel great for the rest of the day.

If a bit achy from a previous run...

This is a judgement call. Sometimes active recovery can help improve a slight ache*. This was the case when I had a dull ache in my hip once. I wasn't sure about running that day and spent a long time debating whether or not to go. In the end I decided to go for a very gentle run, at a pace that only just resembled running, and the ache disappeared. If an ache gets worse, however, it's probably best to stop and rest.

There will be times when there just isn't motivation. If you're feeling a bit done in it might be time to just rest. It's best to listen to your body and if it needs a break then give it one. You'll feel a hundred times better on your next run.

Other times, it might be worth visualising the end goal: how will you feel when you accomplish that first 5k, 10k or something further? How proud will you be that you did that? Whether it's crossing the finish line and getting a medal round your neck, or just completing your training plan; that feeling of pushing yourself a little bit beyond your comfort zone, getting fitter and saying 'I did that' is worth getting your arse out of the door.


*Although I have spent far too much time reading about running injuries on the internet I am by no means a qualified physiotherapist or doctor. Any ideas I have are purely things that have worked for me and should not be considered medical advice.

Training plans and other commitments

I am probably known to a few people as a bit of a breenger. For those not so familiar with Scots language, a breenger is someone who rushes into things a bit, possibly without really thinking it through. Since I had breenged on ahead with signing up for a half marathon with only 10 weeks to go I thought I should act promptly and get myself a PLAN.

Cue the Google search. Lots of plans there, many of which you can pay for but wait, just what I was looking for, the free ones! I thought the Edinburgh Marathon half marathon training plan (www.edinburghmarathon.com/training-zone/hmarathon_tp/) was a good place to start as my aim was ultimately to do the full Edinburgh Marathon the following year.

I could squeeze a 12 week plan into 10 weeks. Along with the tennis league I had signed myself up with a couple of months prior, a job, 4 year old son, husband and a house to clean. It would be fine!

Training plan was scrutinised and reproduced in my diary. I was so excited at the prospect of taking on this challenge! A bit doubtful that I would actually see it through in its entirety, but excited nevertheless! 

The thing is, the training plan doesn't exactly account for the unexpected things. Like when your car needs serviced and you have your 4 year old with you. You're told it will take 3 hours to get the car serviced and let's be honest, a 4 year old doesn't want to sit about waiting for the car to be serviced for 3 hours. A 4 year old wants to be entertained. And the nearest form of entertainment is a soft play, about a 20 minute walk away. The 4 year old doesn't want to walk for 20 minutes; he wants UP. So you give him a piggy back and when you've been for a run the day before the butt muscles are a bit tired and start to ache but you keep piggy backing through the ache because that's what you do for your 4 year old. 

I'm not really sure if piggy backing a preschooler around can be considered cross-training.

Thankfully the butt muscles recovered and I somehow managed (thereabouts) to squeeze the 12 week plan into 10 weeks, along with tennis, child, husband and job commitments. 

The house was and still is a pit, however. Something has to give. Let's be honest, in 5 years I'll look back and think: 'Cool, I did that half marathon'. I doubt I'll look back fondly on how clean my floors were.

Maybe I could do a marathon!

Having not taken part in a running event since leaving high school, this came as a slight surprise to my husband.

'Perhaps you should start with something a bit smaller, such as a half...or a 10k?' he suggested wisely.

I pondered over this, scratching my chin whilst thinking about which charity I would run the marathon for.

'You could do the Glasgow Half Marathon in October, that's just a few months away.'

I pondered over this a bit longer, then decided to pop on to the Great Scottish Run website, just to have a look. I looked at the map of the route, then realised a marathon would be double that distance.

'Maybe you're right', I concurred as I clicked 'Enter Now' on the Great Scottish Run website. Just to see.

13.1 miles. That wasn't too bad. I could do that! Yes, that can be the new plan and if it all goes well, I'll sign up for the Edinburgh Marathon immediately after!

Before my husband could suggest a 10k might actually be a better place to start, I had a screen in front of me telling me I had entered the half marathon.

Little did I realise that at that moment, there was quite literally no going back.