The journey from “not allowed to run for 24 years” to “ First Half Marathon”

OK, so this second post was meant to be about the medical side of things but it’s just not happening for me right now, hence the delay between posts, so lets stick to the running for now.

You will notice two attachments on here.

The first one is from my first recorded run on Strava on 16th Jan 2019 (about 2 weeks after Sam and I started running). I managed 2.68 km and it took me 21 mins 45 secs and my average pace was 8.06 KM per minute. The other attachment is my run from last weekend - 21.24 km which took me 2 hours 25 mins and 48 sec (I really ran for 145 mins???) at an average pace of 6.52 KM’s per minute.

Nothing world beating about that but I am pleased with that progress in the last 2 and a half years.

It all started between Xmas and New Year 2018. Sam and I were sitting watching TV on a cold dark night and for reasons I will never know I turned around to Sam and said “I am fed up eating Xmas food and drinking, I am going to do couch to 5km, fancy coming with me?”. 10 minutes later we were on Gorleston Sea Front, with our headphones in and our C25k App on. At that point I knew I shouldn’t be running but I didn't expect it to last more than a week so didn't worry about it.

Sam and I were a week or maybe 2 into the C25k when me being me decided I wanted to run as far as I could each time instead. That wasn’t far (see above run!) though. Sam was a little more sensible. So I started running 3 times a week as far as I could (2k, 2.5k then 3k etc....). I started doing the Park Runs too, obviously I couldn’t get round it all. Obviously I couldn’t get round half of it!! My first target was to get round one lap of Gorleston Park Run (2.5km). I got there eventually. Then it was to do the 2.5km and the cliff of doom - now this took me considerably longer to achieve. Then it was do 1.5 laps. Then after some time I managed to run the whole 5k and that was all I ever wanted to do. Incidentally my first Park run was 35 mins 54 secs. My last Park run, the week before the first lockdown kicked in, was my 50th Park Run and was a PB at 26 mins 59 secs.

Anyway, like I say, my dream was to complete the park run course and I did and that was all i ever wanted.

When I run I wear a watch that gives me my heart rate etc….so I spoke to the hospital (who had told me that i couldn’t get my heart rate above 100 since 1994 (I was 21 then!)) and told them that I was doing 5km and my heart rate was going up to 169. I knew they would tell me to stop but at least I had achieved it.

The benefit of the running though was that I was losing weight and my resting heart rate was lower as a result of being lighter and fitter. So, after some more tests and conversations, they told me the benefits outweighed the risks and if I was aware of the risks I could carry on doing 5k as long as I was sensible and didn’t exert myself.

So I kept training. Me being me though means that i then completed my first 6K!!! Then I completed my first 3 lap circuit (7.5k).

My dream at this point was to do my first 10k since I was about 16. I used to do those once a year 10k’s on Great Yarmouth Sea front in and around 1988 So I wanted to do one more 10k at the age of 47 so that I could feel 16 again. As I was getting closer to 10k I spoke to the hospital again and was convinced they would tell me to stop. At this point I was going to do 10k regardless but I knew it might be my last run. However, the hospital were reasonably OK as long as I did it slowly, kept an eye on my heart rate and was sensible. So I kept training. Sam simply didn’t want me to do 10km for obvious reasons. However, my heart was set on it (I didn't notice the pun there until I re read this!) and I can be pretty determined (pig headed?) if I want to be. So eventually I completed my first 5 mile race. Then completed my first 10k Race. Pace doesn’t bother me too much (i’d love to say it doesn’t bother me at all but everybody who runs would know I was lying at least a little bit).

So, I promised Sam that I wouldn’t go any further than a 10k. Obviously I hadn’t run for about 24 years, so to run a 10k was amazing.…and it wasn’t long before I was beating my 16 year old 10k times at 47 - albeit I was not trying to, I was just getting fitter!!! My 10km PB is 58mins 24 secs now.

Obviously, I then did a 11km. Then a 12km and when the 12km went well I found myself thinking "it is only another 4km (less than a park run) more and I can then do 10 miles". So after a particularly good 12km training run in late 2019, I accidentally got home and entered Freethorpe 10 miles. Sorry Sam ;-). I think she had given up by this point. Every time I stepped up the distance though I did have conversations / tests at the hospital and Heart Rates and weight kept improving, so as long as I was sensible, they were becoming cool (even supportive) about it.

So, I did the Freethorpe 10 miles in Jan 2020 and ran the whole thing and even had enough for a sprint finish (Don’t tell my Mum or the hospital that last bit!). I loved it and I felt brilliant, I felt so pleased with myself and I felt so good. So, I got home from that race and accidentally entered the ballot for the Great North Run (Half Marathon) in August 2020. I used to watch the GNR when I was young and loved it but even before I knew I had Marfan there was no way somebody like me would ever run a half marathon.

I remember, about 5 years ago, when I was lift sharing with 3 of my mates and I remember sitting in the car when we were talking about watching the London Marathon and Andy said he wanted to run it one day. I remember thinking "out of the 4 of us, I am the only one that won’t ever be able to achieve a long run".

Anyway, back to the story, I entered the GNR Ballot. They have 60,000 runners and a load of runners never get thru the ballot so I knew I was safe and wouldn't get a place anyway. Needless to say that I was surprised a few weeks later when I got my ”congratulations, you’ve got a place in the GNR“ email.

This was Feb 2020. I was going to start upping my training 6 months before the race (Mar 2020) and the hospital confirmed that I could go do the GNR. They even gave me some training tips

So March 2020 came and I upped my training but then we went into lock down. In a way, this helped with my running. For the first 2 months - I could run out to Burgh Castle and the roads were clear and I had all the time in the world to myself. Things were going good. Then they cancelled the GNR due to COVID. Boom! I kept running but the distances shrunk and motivation was harder.

Rob at the Great Yarmouth Road Runners (who I had since joined) organised virtual 5k’s and then virtual 10k’s and these 100% kept me going and really helped - Thanks Rob.

When they stopped I had another dip in motivation but just about kept myself going. So in Mar 2021 (approx) I decided to slow my pace and go longer as i started training for the my deferred place in the 2021 GNR again I got myself up to 11k again, then 12k again and I was heading in the right direction again. In May 2021 I surprised myself, had a good run and managed a 10 miler (16.1 km) again. Only 5km more (basically a park run) and I’ve got that half marathon run in me. So I got home and checked for earlier half marathons. I was practically there. Practically fit enough. But had 3 months before the GNR and I had 100% convinced myself something would go wrong (probably an injury) and the half marathon would pass me by when I was ready for it. All I wanted to do was say I had run a half marathon and I 100% won’t be going further than that - ever. Promise!

So I got home, found an earlier half marathon (1st Aug 2021) and actually managed to blag a place at the London Landmarks Half Marathon. Cool. I only had to avoid injury for about 8 weeks now and stretch my distance a little.

I created myself a well oiled training plan and set out on that. Suddenly the heat set in though. Suddenly, having entered a half marathon I was struggling to getl beyond 9k for 3 weeks. I was going backwards and I was worried.

Last Satuday though, the heat wave was gone. Sam was going to run on Yarmouth Sea front, so I decided to run to Yarmouth Sea front for the first time. I would meet her there and we could drive home together. We arranged a time to meet after both our runs.

I started running down there (I had had 2 days rest and that always helps me) and i felt great. I got to Yarmouth sea front, then did a full lap of the sea front (pleasure beach to waterways and back) and still felt great. I rang Sam and told her i was running home. Hopefully I could get another 10 miler in. By the time I got back to Bradwell I was still feeling great. I detoured home - grabbed a lucozade sport out of the fridge and carried on running around Bradwell. At 12.7 miles my foot and toe started hurting badly but no way was I gonna stop. If I kept going I would achieve the half marathon that I wanted to acheive and even if the heat beats me in the London or Newcastle runs (or injury) I will always be able to say I have ran a Half Marthon. So in a a fair bit of pain I did another 0.5 mile and finished my first Half Marathon and I ran it all - even into the kitchen and back to get the drink. I was well chuffed.

Now I am writing this from Shaun’s flat floor in Lincoln on my way to do a 10k (where Shaun is on the organising committee for the first time) at Belton Constable near Hull. The downside is that when I was walking down the stairs on Wednesday my Achilles / Calf went twang. Wed and Thurs it was very painful, so I was just gonna go and support Sam on the run and Shaun with the organising. Right now though, my leg feels a bit less painful and I am loading myself with ibpuforen. I want to Run Shaun’s first Event! I know it is wrong. I know I should be resting it. It is still in the balance but I reckon I might be on the start line - but I fully expect it to go ping at some point during the race but I just have to do it and hope. Hopefully it will only be a 4 or 5 day rest to mend it fully but I just have to try and run it tonight. Slowly though. It is my first trial run too. So, I know you are all gonna tell me off for this (especially Super Physio Vas!) and I know its wrong but it is my first race for 18 months and Shauns first event. I have to try it. Let’s see what happens……Speak soon