So it’s been 4 months since I started my challenge to run the year, that is 2018km in 2018, to raise £2018 for Alzheimer’s Research.
Today’s run took me to two roads I’d not used before and they were definitely an up and down experience. I’d hoped for downhill, but they had uphill bits too. Since we arrived in Italy, just over three weeks ago, the weather has improved steadily. Some might say too steadily, as we are now having regular temperatures of 24/25 degrees in the afternoons sometimes hitting 26/27. And it’s just April folks.
This is what I’ve learned in 4 months of running 40/50km a week.
Heat is a killer for pace, today was cooler and I knocked off 1 minutes a km, just because it wasn’t hot. I wasn’t trying to go faster; my body decided it could cope with the pace, because it wasn’t too hot.
My feet are destroyed, despite having two pairs of trainers being alternated to stop rubbing. The unexpected warmth and rather steep road cambers here, have meant blisters and rubbing. Luckily I had a stock of Compeed plasters. I rest after three days of running and if my feet hurt then I limit my distance. But high heels and pretty feet are a long forgotten memory! I’m waiting for my BodyGlide delivery as recommended by IannodaTruffe and I hope this will solve the rubbing. BTW there are two BodyGlides available in Italy and one isn’t meant for running! That’s all I can say....
The upside, well mmm - my legs are getting an airing as it's warm and I don't have to run in so many layers. I meet the usual and not so usual array of characters when I run. I’ve learned that friends and strangers can utterly overwhelm you with kindness and generosity. We are a third of the way through the year, but my fund raising is at over 40% of my target and my kilometres are ahead of the cumulative plan. I’ve got 2 weeks’ worth of running in the bank, in case of injury/illness and I’m chuffed with that.
The other lesson I’ve learned, is one that we know from C25K, pursuing speed can sometimes be an illusory master. Rushing to get faster or to get the runs done, means we can lose sight of the end goal. I’m learning patience, this challenge is a slow, steady grind. Do I love all my runs now? Hell no, in fact a lot of them are hell in trainers, but sometimes just sometimes, I do feel like I’m running on air, and it feels good.
The final lesson, and one that plays out in this forum quite regularly, is that surrounding yourself with people who support you and help you do your challenge is really helpful, (whether it is W1 R1 or aiming for ju-ju- ’s 10 is the magic number), it’s that positivity and support that helps you through. Naysayers drag you down.
Thank you to all the C25Kers who cheer me on - mentally, through sponsorship, and through the other social channels.
I am going to do this challenge, in fact it couldn’t have even have been started without you.
Ooh, I do feel for your poor blistered feet. I had a problem last year with mahoosive blisters after a 10km run, and was advised to use vaseline on my feet after they had healed. I now grease up with vaseline before any run and it seems to work well. I guess it's the same principle as your BodyGlide but doesn't sound quite so sexy.
I'm still so impressed that you're doing so well on your challenge. It sounds like you may reach your target early at this rate. Keep up the good work.
p.s. I had a cheeky PCT in your honour on Saturday.
Ah yes Vaseline - I think we have some, somewhere - never occurred to me. I’ve never had a problem before, but it was just one blister, and it got sore, then my toe was swollen - you know the rest.. And then the other foot started - I now have feet like hooves...
Ho hum, and a PCT, oh how I miss PCT’s...
Hopefully the kms will keep rolling, am going to have to start getting up earlier in the day I think, as Lucifer looks to have returned early this year!
Hopefully we can get a PCT at Fix when I’m back in June ( and it is for 3 weeks, so finger’s crossed!)
Also meant to say, I've got some great Asics socks which are anti blister. Asics Kayano seem to work a treat - my feet were fine in these throughout my recent 20.59 km.
That sounds like a must buy pair of socks... Just bought two sets of Saucony socks but in all honesty they are a bit too big, and I’m not sure that’s helpful with the rubbing. Managed to pour bleach all over my nifty Sweaty Betty’s so they’re in the bin....
Great news on the PCT Fix - will let you know nearer the time when I’m back! X
Fantastic progress, re the blisters as odd as it sounds but in a previous life I found that putting a light coat of vaseline worked on my feet although not very sock friendly.
Yup, stupid tart syndrome hits me again - I know we have some in the house, it never occurred to me - then I went and bought Bodyglide - which BTW I’m still waiting for. Vaseline may be press-ganged in tomorrow’s day of rest - which is a walk in the mountains... Not sure how I persuaded myself that constituted a rest!
Thank you - we are getting there, slowly slowly. And the blisters are improving but they are slowly slowly too... I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to Christmas Eve which is my planned last run! I know I’m wishing away a summer....
You are so disciplined to have got this far already Jan. if you say Christmas eve then I have no doubt thats when it will be 🤞🏼Savlon is good on blisters I find. Get one of thise little pots of vaseline and keep it with you , just in case x
Good plan - thanks I have Savlon too. Once an Englishwoman, always an Englishwoman, I never wanted to mis-read Italian instructions on medicine when in need!
Go, Go, Go Jan!!! Fantastic you've got that far and you adjust to the coming heat...I thought of you last week as it was really warm up north and I felt glued to the ground! I was about to tell you about feet "cream" to avoid blisters before you mentioned Bodyglide. We don't have Bodyglide trademark in France but you can find what I call "cream rubber sticks" in supermarkets: like a glue stick except that it's a kind of cream to avoid blisters. A bit like waxing skis. Pretty efficient. They must have something similar in Italy.
The other thing is lacing the shoes: too tight or not tight enough, the feet will get sore... But with the heat, I try to tie the laces less tight as the feet swell even more.
Good luck with the running in the Italian countryside!
Thanks Anthie - the shoes laces I’d got used to doing, but I think my feet became like the classic broken window syndrome. Once I’d got a big blister and then by toe got swollen I loosened the laces - that probably then caused the rubbing on my little toe...
Of course last year when I started C25K I wasn’t doing regular long distance runs on a daily basis, so I never had one blister. Shows you are never too old to learn a lesson.
Completed my first HM yesterday, taken week off now
Wow - hats off to you - the most I’ve done is 16.5km and that was in Winter, don’t think I can get beyond 12km in the heat. That’s an amazing feat, well done you. Wearing your traditional garb I hope?
Oh God, yes. Given that I ran centrally (my post is below yours), I opted for a more sober black and dark red option with ultra tight white short sleeved base layer under the basketball vest. You cannot just cut through Mayfair looking like a riff raff.
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