A bit of reflection...

Sunday's run was one of those where I rediscovered my love of running. Saturday saw me stuffing my face with pasta and cakes. While the pasta provided me with much needed carbs in preparation for Sunday's 18 miler, the cakes did not, although they were delicious! So heading to bed on Saturday night, clutching my stomach and complaining about my growing 'food baby,' I became a little scared at the thought of getting up for a run the next morning.
My body woke itself up at 7.45am, when I got up and had my new love - porridge with walnuts and honey, yum. An hour and a half, one banana and a dog walk later and I was ready to leave. Apprehension a-plenty, I headed out in a t-shirt (this is worth noting - it was actually pleasantly warm), and off I went. With my headphones in and my pace quite slow, I took in my surroundings, enjoyed the weather and began to enjoy myself. I had an energy gel after 6 and 12 miles and then another before I faced a big hill at about 15.5 miles - and I completed 18.06 miles in 2hours59minutes. I was so happy - my little legs had carried me all that way and even increased the pace in the last mile. To say I was happy is an understatement!
But, there was one thing that kept me going throughout the run, that I thought of whenever my legs felt heavy - and that was thinking about who I'm doing the marathon for - Cancer Research UK. Most people I know have been affected by cancer in some way - whether through a relative, friend or themselves. Last year saw me realise how strong some people can be when faced with this horrible illness, and it is this acknowledgement that makes me even more determined to raise funds to beat cancer. Every penny donated means so so much to so many people, so please visit my page http://www.runningsponsorme.org/emilycross3 and sponser me any amount you can.
Until next time...

My legs! My legs!

Last night's speed session could be best described as a mild disaster. When I do a speed session, my legs suddenly wake up and ask the question, 'hey, what's going on here, what are you doing to us?' They positively enjoy being on the road for 2 or more hours pounding away at a slow pace but come Wednesday, when I look at the treadmill and think, 'I will destroy you,' the legs just won't work. They ache as the pace increases into what I call a sprint (others might call it a non-sprint) and then they complain once I go into a recovery pace. I've always believed that running is 10% physical and 90% mental, and last night, my mentality was just not there. But alas, no pain, no gain and I shall power through those speed sessions...

Monster Eater

Knowing how often to blog is the question of the day, does one blog every day, once a week? Who knows, but I thought I would use this entry to discuss with you eating when training for a marathon.
Many people, myself included, start running to lose weight, or tone up, but there comes a time when you realise that to get through a run, you have to take on a bit of fuel, or when training for a marathon, a lot of fuel. I have found I am eating constantly, from the minute I wake up to when I go to bed. Malt loaf is the current food of the moment for me and I love it. I began my malt loaf journey by adding it with sliced banana, very nice but gets a bit messy when sat at my desk slicing my gooey banana onto sticky malt loaf. I then started eating my banana separate from my malt loaf, savouring each delicious bite of malt loaf but also missing my banana element. Then last night, after an excellent spin session with mum, she returns from the shop with none other than....banana malt loaf. My heart skipped a beat, my brow gathered sweat. Incredible.
Anyway, I must now finish this post to make some food. Tonight is a speed session, a session that I tend to dread but the feeling after is one that I imagine feels close to invincibility...Usain Bolt, watch out...

Emily runs Brighton part 1

Good morning from a very cold desk in the middle of Bristol. As I type this, snow is coming down outside and as ever my first thought is, ahhh, will I make it to the gym tonight!! Sad I know...
Anyway, I have created this blog as a way to update donaters, friends and randoms on my progress for April's Brighton Marathon. I have been spurred on to create this blog by the already very generous people of Facebook who have donated to my Cancer Research page http://www.runningsponsorme.org/emilycross3
My training for the marathon is coming along steadily, it is becoming all I think about and all I talk about (much to the pain of friends and family). I ran a very cold 10.2 miles on Saturday in 1hour 33, which I was pretty pleased with. Come April, I will be aiming to complete the 26.2 miles in under 4 hours 30 minutes...as hard as I try to go faster, my 5 foot 3 frame and little legs just haven't got it in them, but I'm determined as ever to prove them wrong and who knows what might be accomplished by April 15th.
My aim now is to work out a way to raise money in the office, my first thoughts have amounted to: bake cakes...I would appreciate any creative minds out there to suggest different ways that I can raise money without making people fat (doesn't really fit into the whole, I'm running a marathon, please buy my cakes thing.) Suggestions welcome via Facebook or Twitter (@emilyshopping) but please note, only clean suggestions welcome!
I'll keep this blog updated as often as I can, hopefully it will make more people donate AND motivate others out there to start running...