42@42
Running 42kms at age 42 – something that has been on my bucket list for a couple of years. People think you’re crazy when they hear you’re training for a Marathon. I’ve never thought of it like that. I associate it with being fit and disciplined – challenging yourself.
I first trained for the Melbourne Marathon in 2015. That year my sister, Amy Wilson, was engaged to be married in Harvey Bay. However, she brought her wedding forward to the Friday of the marathon weekend!! It was brought forward for good reason; with her mother suffering terribly from MND at the time, her dream was to have Lynne walk her down the aisle whilst she still could.
Me being me, I thought “I can do both!”. Attend the wedding on the Friday, fly home Saturday night, and run the marathon on the Sunday. Luckily, I came to my senses on the Saturday night and pulled out!
Now, 2017 is my year.
I registered for the Melbourne Marathon four months ago. At this time, I was also selected as a RUN MND Champion for the 2017 Run Melbourne Half Marathon. I had not planned on competing in it, but knew I could easily. I had already completed a number of half marathons, and was running one each month in my regular training preparation for the Melbourne Marathon.
Fundraising for Fight MND was enjoyable and my business was already supporting each month. Running for my step mother, Lynne, gave me so much pride and confidence, and I knew I had the support of so many people behind me.
The run itself certainly had its challenges. I remember running around the Tan, looking up fatigued and seeing the “Anderson Street” sign. I instantly thought of my sister, Casey Anderson. Casey has true Determination. She is determined to achieve her goals, she plans well and speaks with Courage and Grit. So, when I saw “Anderson Street”, three words came to my mind, “Courage, Grit and Determination”. I repeated these over and over; and this is what got me through the fatigue of running. Every time I now run up the dreaded Anderson Street hill around the Tan, I think of my sister and her determination.
In preparation for the Melbourne Marathon, I followed the Steve Monaghetti Training Plan. Despite now being able to run a half marathon with my eyes closed, this plan was unlike anything I have ever done before. Firstly, running 5 days a week is not my thing! 3 or 4 times, sure! But 5? I remember reading the training plan for the first time thinking “HOW I am ever going to do this?”.
And how did I do it?
Energy.
Finding the energy when you’re tired is a huge challenge. Not just tired, but fatigued to the point you feel like your eyes roll around in your head. So exhausted you can’t sleep. You hate your pillow, your legs ache all night, but you’re even too tired to get up for a Panadol. Then add on iron deficiency anaemia. That’s the tired I’m talking about! It’s like having a new born baby again – remember that tiredness, night after night?
Weather.
It was the middle of winter – dark mornings, dark nights. 6.30am some mornings I was out the door in the pitch black, returning after the sun had risen. The weather alone was one of the biggest challenges; the frost, wind, rain and bitter cold! Having the sun out recently was nothing but glorious. And I already have a tan – complete with singlet, sock and short lines!
Constipation?
Whilst you’re dealing with this fatigue, you have to deal with hydration and constipation. If you don’t get the hydration right – yep, you guessed it, you deal with constipation!
Next up is friction burn.
Clothes rubbing in all the wrong places! Try friction burn on friction burn, scaring from friction burn. It doesn’t hurt until you get in the shower – then it really burns!
Toe nails?
Who needs those? All that pounding equals blackened toenails and the occasional blister! Eventually it’ll fall off and a lively new one will replace it…
Gels.
It goes without saying, you need energy food to get you through a 4-hour run. Got food allergies? I do! Garlic, onion, fructose; you name it. Most products on the market have an ingredient list written in another language and must be avoided. Until I discovered HUMA… phew!
Muscles.
Every. Little. Niggle. Thank God for Dr. Google! Tight calves, tight quads, tired and swollen ligaments, not being able to walk after long runs, plunging your feet into an ice bucket daily, and driving to Traralgon every second week to be massaged.
Coffee.
At Eliana Lulu every weekend after each run ending in the CBD – it was our reward.
Meal Planning.
The biggest time and money saver! Countless Sundays cooking all afternoon and planning meals and lunches for the rest of the week. Probably the best advice and plan I have put into practice that has made a difference.
So now we enter Taper week. 12kms today, 8kms on Monday, and two final 4kms runs.
The challenge now is managing the energy and pace of the run. Controlling your speed and not doing any more than is on our schedule. Eating well – carbs and protein and avoiding junk and alcohol (until Sunday when I’ll much be needing a good cold drop!).
Since May I have completed; 6 Half Marathons in 6 weeks, 9 Half Marathons in total, 883km and 80 hours of running. By the time Sunday comes, 900km of training.
This time next week, we will be running onto the hollowed turf and completing a lap of The G before crossing the finish line at 42.2kms! My mantra; Courage, Grit and Determination.
The Melbourne Marathon was held Sunday 15th October. Belinda ran a time of 4.07:31 and finished 660th of overall women, and 106th of all women in her age group.