Please let this be a turning point?!

Well it has been so busy with fundraising that I have been able to ignore the pending disaster of injury. However, the Big Bliss Bash is now over (and amazing £1200 raised!) and I have to get to grips with what is happening with me. 

It is a real dilemma. I can't ignore that I have an issue with my leg, but I also have the last two half marathons of my challenge in the next two weeks . Do I run them and potentially risk the marathon, or do I not do them and not achieve the challenge?? Tricky!!

I am not going to be chasing PBs and I will be sensible if I do go ahead with them, even to the point of pulling out if I need to. Lots of stretching and foam rolling maybe. Possibly even an emergency appointment with a physio (please don't say no running....)

No you see why I may not have been publishing posts often!

Anyway, the Big Bliss Bash was brilliant and I can't thank my Mum enough for her support with it! 3 bands and one solo artist, and it was fantastic. So many people helped with posters / leaflets / facebook sharing / providing resources for free etc. As I said, £1200 raised in one evening! Brilliant. This meant t
hat my initial target was smashed and that the next three events will all be in addition to that. Such a relief! I wasn't sure that I could get there but I am very relieved now. 

I have also been out for a 5 miler today - leg aches now but maybe it will be ok......?

Starts getting tough now!

Today I set my Jantastic targets for Feb and I have realised that it is starting to get serious now! In three weeks I will have completed a run of 17 miles - the longest that I will have ever done. So week one 14 miles, week two 15 miles week three 17 miles, followed by a couple of half marathon races. I have never ran more than 13 miles so this is going to be the start of my big challenges and every week there will be something different for me to do.

So if you read my last Blog, Parkrun Horror, you are probably wondering how the heck I am going to manage this. That is a very good question!! I will manage it because I am bloody minded and if I set myself a challenge, I will achieve it. I will cope with it because last week was a blip (albeit a pretty horrid one!!) and I will get it back, but also because I have the support of my family and friends and because I am doing it for a fantastic charity. It could easily have been us that was in need of support from Bliss and I will never forget that.

As I have said before I certainly don't find running easy which is what makes this challenge even more important to me. Every time I go out I have to battle physical and metal battles but I do it and get one with it. I would love to say that it is getting easier, but at the moment it just isn't. I have had a period of time since October where I have had to get through injury and illness, plus the emotional stress of being made redundant, and raising a large amount of money for the charity. This has all put additional pressure on my running, but I still have every confidence that I will be able to complete the London Marathon in a matter of weeks (12 to be precise!!). Another marathon runner said to me the other day that if we can get through the hardships of motivating and struggling through illness and injury alone during the training sessions, the race will be comparatively easy. I am choosing to believe him at this point! 

https://www.justgiving.com/Samantha-Herring2 #VLM