Hi everyone,
Thank you for visiting my London Marathon Blog.
Here, I’ll be providing updates on the status of my training, leading up to the big day on 26 April 2009. As this will be my first ever marathon, training and preparation will be quite a tough challenge. For those with average fitness levels (me included!) taking part in a marathon is no easy task. Months of training and preparation are needed to develop the required levels of fitness to complete a marathon.
So it was with a sense of trepidation that I began training in earnest in November 2008, running 3-5 miles at an average pace, at least 2-3 times a week. One of the great advantages about living in London is that there is no shortage of interesting routes to run. Having recently moved to Greenwich, I’m always finding new and picturesque routes to keep my training engaging, and avoid getting bored with having to pound the same route every week.
My current route runs along the river Thames, alongside the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich and the Thames flood barrier. Taking a keen interest in history, I’m always fascinated to discover places of any historical significance. So I was quite fascinated to discover the history of my new surroundings.
The Royal Arsenal has historically been one of the major sources of armaments for the British armed forces. It was initially setup as an ordnance storage depot in 1671, however, by 1771, the site had expanded to include research and development facilities and a gun foundry. The Royal Arsenal quickly established itself as a centre for excellence in engineering, with renowned engineers such as Samuel Bentham and Marc Isambard Brunel having spent time working there. Ever since its establishment, the Royal Arsenal has been closely associated with every major conflict involving the British armed forces, including the Crimean War, World War I and World War II. The Royal Arsenal saw its peak during World War I with facilities extending over 1300 acres and employing approx 80,000 people. During World War II, the location was heavily bombed during the blitz, being a prime target for the Luftwaffe to disrupt the supply of weapons to the British armed forces. The ordnance factories were eventually closed down by the late 1960s, however, I am happy to see that most of the major buildings are now Grade I and Grade II listed buildings, although most of these have now been acquired by property developers and converted to stylish apartment complexes!
However, there is also a museum at the site, dedicated to preserve the historical legacy of the ordnance factories and role they played in British history. I would definitely recommend a visit to anyone. Check out these links if you are really interested (http://www.firepower.org.uk/index.asp; http://www.royal-arsenal.com/).
Running further along the Thames on my training route, I come across the Thames Flood Barrier. Ok, you might not think this is particularly interesting, or something which looks even remotely picturesque. However, as a modern piece of hydro-engineering, it is quite an achievement!
Regardless of how it’s viewed, it has become an indelible part of London, attracting many tourists, not to mention the numerous appearances in films and on TV. The barrier was commissioned by the Greater London Council (GLC) to protect London against flooding, primarily arising from storm surges in the North Sea and from severe tides. Construction on the site began in 1974 and officially opened in 1984. The most worrying aspect to learn about the barrier is the frequency with which it has been raised to stop any major flooding. Before 1990, the number of average closures of the barrier was approx 2 per year. However, due to rising sea levels, the number of barrier closures has risen to almost 4 per year, with 14 closures in 2003 alone. The most recent closure of any significance was on 09 November 2007, when it had to be closed twice due to a sever storm surge in the North Sea.
So, the next time you ever get the chance to walk past the Thames Barrier, perhaps you should be thankful to the engineers and construction workers who designed and built a modern marvel of engineering which saves London countless times from flooding! Just imagine all us living in London, blissfully unaware of how close we come to being flooded!
I’ve attached some pics of my current training route, hope you all like them.
Ok, back to the marathon training then…
I’ve been training for around a month now and have noticed a very visible and tangible improvement in my stamina, fitness levels and muscles, particularly my legs ;)
I’ve read quite a few strategies and guides for marathon beginners now, all pretty much stating the same thing, which typically involves slow steady runs to begin with, gradually building up the mileage and pace as I go along. However, as with every social group, runners have their own world, with terminology, facts and “do’s” and “don’ts”. I was quite puzzled to read about different running methods, such as “Fartlek”, “Kenyan Outbacks”, “Track Ladders” and “Yasso 800s”. Quite an eclectic bunch of terminology there, I’m sure you’ll agree!
Before I ever even considered running any serious distances, or even contemplated the thought of running in a marathon, I was always mildly annoyed at the sight of runners on the street. Perhaps it was because I as jealous of their drive, energy, determination and discipline. And I can now see how these qualities are very much required to even consider taking on something like this. But what really amused me most about serious runners and joggers…and still does…is all the paraphernalia associated with this activity. I’m sure you’ve all seen ladies and gents in their Lycra clad leggings, bright coloured tops, and on particularly cold days, hats and cloves.
However, I have to say, that training during the long winter months, I can now well understand and appreciate the levels of preparation required to run in these conditions. You can’t simply put on a top and just start running down the pavement. There’s a whole runners Bible to what to wear, in what conditions, what materials to have your clothes made from, the importance of letting your skin breathe and how to stay warm at the same time. Quite a challenge to get right in itself! However, at the moment, I’m finding a couple of tops and track suite bottoms are quite adequate for me, although as the nights draw in, I will have to adapt to running in the dark and keeping dry if it rains.
Towards the end of November, I have found that I can control and regulate my breathing, alter my race pace and develop a rhythm which suites me. When I first started, there were plenty of stop-starts, having to stop and take a walking rest while a caught my breath again. However, I find I hardly have to do this anymore. The limiting factor at the moment is having to deal with muscle cramp and fatigue, particularly for my legs. The cold weather doesn’t help either; I find my knees and thighs being the most affected. I find that stopping for a couple of minutes and doing some leg stretches usually sorts this out. The constant pounding of hard pavements and roads also makes it felt on my feet, so I’ll be looking to replacing my current set of trainers with a decent pair of running shoes. However, at the moment I am running approx 20 miles per week, and aiming to increase this steadily as I go along, so I am pleased with my progress. Lets just hope I can keep it up; it does require significant motivation!
That’s all for now, I’ll be posting another update towards the end of this year or early next year, so keep posted. If any of you have any helpful suggestions, tips or recommendations, please post your comments on the Blog, I look forward to reading them.
Take care folks :)
