tinkerbelljayne

[tinkerbelljayne]

Here is What REALLY Happened When I Ran the "Worlds Craziest Marathon"

Here is What REALLY Happened When I Ran the “Worlds Craziest Marathon”

WORDS: Hannah Banana IAMGES: Harry Wood for Street Child

  “I’d come here to help these children and all they wanted to do was help me.”

  The story I’m about to tell you is not quite the story I thought I would be posting. But then again, no matter how much you plan ahead in life, things go wrong, especially during marathons.

I was one of the very last UK participants to sign up for Street…

[tinkerbelljayne]

Booking a holiday is usually a DIY jobby for me and has been for a long time. I search for the cheapest flights, hunt down the right accommodation, sort the airport transport  – usually involving me, a foreign ticket machine and an anxiety ridden train journey – I trawl through trip advisor for local restaurant recommendations and scroll through travel blogs for activity inspo.

That’s how I’ve done it for most of my adult life. I unfortunately graduated at the same time that the recession hit, so strolling along to a travel agent to have them plan and book an entire trip was a luxury I was never able to afford. Instead it was a case of scouring the internet for deals and booking the trip in broken pieces.

And I’ll be honest, it used to give me a thrill, hunting down the cheapest flights I could find, reading hotel reviews, basically planning the best holiday within my budget. But these days I don’t have time. Back in January when I was planning my Barcelona trip, it just became a hassle. Between working full time, blogging and instagramming on the side, plus of course my training, the last thing I wanted to do at the end of a looooong day was trawl the internet for all of the above.

But recently I went on a trip with Jet2 holidays and this was not the case! There was no trawling, no scouring and no click after click after click on my laptop as my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

Ladies & gentleman, I introduce to you, the return of the package holiday…

Booking through Jet2.com does of course require the small effort of going online and choosing your destination, but most of the work is done for you and the prices are astonishing, with most holidays including flights, car hire, food, baggage allowance – it’s simples!

So when Jet2 came along with a holiday that left very little work to do – basically pick a destination and pick some dates – I was sold!  In the words of Peter Kay it was a case of “Booked it, packed it, f***** off.” Before I knew it me and my bestie we’re off to spend four days in Madeira, a tiny island belonging to Portugal that was popular for hiking, dolphin spotting and famous for Madeira cake (and yup, I totally took a holiday from vegan life to scoff several pieces).

But what should one expect from a package holiday these days??

I hadn’t been on one in ten years! Ten bloody years! Not since my sister and I spent a week in Turkey doing the standard girls holiday routine of sunbathe, swim, drink, repeat. After that, I got a different kind of travel bug and the rest of my twenties was spent living out of a rucksack in South America, hostel hopping around Asia, camper-van’ing around Australia and caravaning in the U.K.

So when we headed to Madeira, I didn’t know what to expect – British tourists left, right & centre? A dodgy buffet with questionable food? Stained hotel walls perhaps? Maybe even a cheesy children’s entertainers?

Nope.

Not at all.

Instead the trip felt like the relaxing break I really needed, it was like we were in our own little paradise!

You can include a car hire in your package – which if you head to the island of Madeira, I would recommend, as public transport is pretty much non-existent there, and trust me you want to tour this island. Our journey from the airport to our hotel reminded me of my time travelling through Laos or Thailand; just so many huge mountains packed with beautiful deep green trees and tummy-turning drops.

We arrived at our hotel, Estalagem do Mar, which whilst not the most modern hotel, was the beautiful, simple and paradise-like resort we had so badly wanted. Huge tall palm trees were dotted around the grounds, surrounding a large outdoor pool that overlooked the ocean. The deep blue waves were crashing just yards in front of the sun loungers. Whilst  waves danced in front of the hotel, to the side of it stood a giant mountain with a waterfall splashing down. It was beautiful. This was not what I had expected. At. All.

Excluding hostel breakfasts, I can’t remember the last time I stayed in a resort that had buffet food. Both our breakfast and dinner was included in the trip and we were spoilt for choice. For breakfast there was the usual continental food available; bread & croissants with jams, plus cereals. There were eggs, beans, sausages, bacon, mushrooms and toast to help yourself too if you wanted a cooked breakfast. Plus yoghurts and fruits for a healthier option.

As a vegan I was disappointed there was no soya milk, but I picked myself some up at a supermarket and took it down with me each morning so that I could enjoy coffee and cereal … usually followed by beans on toast! And fruit! And Madeira cake if there was any going (naughty vegan).

Dinner was delicious and different every night. As a newbie vegan I no longer eat meat, but they did put on a great selection, which my chum very much enjoyed each night, every evening offering a different type of fish too (first night tuna steaks, followed by rainbow trout the next night, and barracuda on our last night) plus chicken, pork and beef, usually cooked and served slightly different each evening. There was always some sort of pasta available, and rice, with plenty of veg on offer too, and a big salad bar with loads to gorge on. Being vegan, most evenings I had pasta with veg and loads of salad as well as a bowl of soup which also changed each night.

My favourite was the dessert though. Oh my lord! My non-dairy diet was questioned as I gorged on Madeira cake, fruit dipped in chocolate from a fountain, jelly with cream … the dairy vegan guilt would creep in every now and then my but tastebuds would banish it every evening “I’m on holiday” I’d tell myself.

And honestly, I’d swim back to Madeira for a slice of that cake, I’ve never tasted anything like it.

As well as an outdoor pool, our hotel also had an indoor pool, a sauna, a spa where there were multiple treatments on offer (which we of course indulged in) a tennis court, a bar, and not forgetting Belinda – our favourite receptionist EVER! Belinda was probably the most bubbly and happy person I’ve met in a long time. She was incredible at sorting and booking our excursions and day trips. On our second day we went dolphin spotting and on our third day we went on a hike up in the mountains and waterfalls (don’t worry, I’ll be writing separate blog posts about those two adventures).

The best part about this package holiday and resort? It sounds completely daft, but it was probably the sound of the waves crashing right outside our balconies (ahem, we had two.) I love hearing the ocean and waking up to that each morning was beautiful. Again, it was a million miles away from the package holiday I had pictured in my head, which looked something like a scene from Benidorm. I even took myself out for a run alongside the coast one morning, breathing in that clean Portuguese air, watching the waves crash – it was stunning to say the least.

Secondly, would be how easy it all was. It made such a change not to think about where to eat, and to just be on a trip that was purely about chilling out and having a proper holiday, as appose to a race or marathon weekend away, which as much as I love, they are truly exhausting.

In fact I was scrolling the Jet2 Holidays site last night again, looking at maybe booking a late-summer cheeky relaxing getaway and I found a few all-inclusive holidays to Greece for less than £250pp! Thats including flights with a 22k baggage allowance. And did you know they do villa holidays too? Perfect if you and the girls (or lads!) want to do a week away for some fun in the sun. Think Love Island but without all the drama!

Where would you like to Jet off to with Jet2.com?

[do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-13]

  The Return of the Package Holiday… Booking a holiday is usually a DIY jobby for me and has been for a long time. 

[tinkerbelljayne]

I'm Running the Worlds Craziest Marathon! West Africa, here I run...

I’m Running the Worlds Craziest Marathon! West Africa, here I run…

Click here to donate to this amazing cause and sponsor me on my craziest run to date!

“The craziest but most worthwhile marathon…”

– Runners World Magazine, 2017

In a matter of days I will be in Amsterdam airport, preparing to board a seven hour flight to a part of the world I have never before touched down in; to take part in an adventure I never imagined I would be lucky enough to be a part of.

[tinkerbelljayne]

Your London Marathon Medal is a Golden Ticket to Foodie Heaven

Your London Marathon Medal is a Golden Ticket to Foodie Heaven

The expression “you deserve a medal” is never more true than after completing a marathon. But I believe you deserve more than a piece of race day bling after running a very tough 26.2 miles – and it seems the London foodie scene agrees with me.

Complete the London marathon this Sunday and your finishers medal becomes your golden ticket to foodie heaven. I’ve hunted down the London venues that are…

[tinkerbelljayne]

For the first time in a long time I have decided to write about Love.

I didn’t talk about Love last year. In fact I completely skipped Valentines due to the fragile state I was in, I couldn’t even look at the L world, let alone talk about it.

But this year I actually want to write about Love.

Because … I’ve decided to get married.

To myself.

Kind of.

No, I haven’t hit my head on a hard surface. No, I haven’t given up on men or dating or am pledging to be in a relationship with myself forever. And no, I’m not about to have my own Sologamy ceremony. But I have decided to take some vows this Valentines, seven to be precise, each one I have carefully chosen to help me love and protect myself until I inevitably die of cancer or some unknown disease caused by veganism that is yet to be discovered.

Why, I hear you you ask? Why can’t you just be a miserable moody cow on Valentines like so many other single women?

Because I’ve realised something, something really simple.

You see, we are brought up to believe that we should grow up, meet someone, and then pledge to love this chosen ‘one’ completely unconditionally until death comes along in his black hooded coat and takes them from us.

But if I’ve learnt anything over the past 18 months, it’s this – how can we love someone unconditionally if we can’t even love our-bloody-selves, eh?

I’m no marriage expert, me and my ex-fiancé didn’t even make it to venue scouting or cake tasting let alone down the aisle, but I believe that’s because we couldn’t love each other properly … because we didn’t love ourselves, therefore our relationship completely and utterly broke down. I think this is why so many marriages fall apart, because people are committing to loving and caring for someone else before committing to loving and caring for themselves.

I think we should change that. I think you have to love yourself before you love another person. And no, i’m not talking about becoming some Billy Big Bollocks who thinks they are better than everyone else. No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, love, cherish and appreciate yourself. We may not always love ourselves unconditionally, there are always going to be things we don’t like about ourselves, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make your no.1 priority you.

So whose with me? Fancy making a commitment to the most important person in your life?

(That’s you by the way)

If so, then let’s get us married! It’s free and you don’t need to buy anyone dinner.

Repeat after me (or y’know just think it in your head if your on a train or bus or something)

I promise to keep negative people out of my life

We should surround ourselves with people who make us feel good and make us feel happy. But often we surround ourselves with people who, actually, if we dig deep, like really really deep, to that part of us we don’t like visiting, some people who we think make us happy can actually be making us feel really crappy. Toxic relationships can have a huge negative impact on your life and sometimes it’s just best to let go of them. Not everyone you lose is a loss.

I promise to stop giving a f*** about people pleasing

Remember back in this blog post when I advised you to read ‘The life-changing magic of not giving a f***’ well, let’s read it again so we can remind ourselves to stop making our lives miserable just to satisfy other people’s demands.

I promise to indulge myself

Drink the coffee. Eat the chocolate. Dye your hair blue. Buy that overpriced handbag. Take a selfie. Screw it, take a hundred selfies if it makes you feel good. Just do whatever it is that makes you happy, regardless of what other people think!

I promise to appreciate myself

Start by writing a list. Nope, not a to-do list, a list of six things you love/like about yourself. I know, I know, if your anything like me you will find this super cringe but we’re gonna do it anyway. Write them down, they can be physical attributes, personality traits, achievements, whatevs, just put them on some paper and then read them aloud to yourself … again super cringe, but it’s apparently meant to boost self-love.

I promise to exercise

Y’know that saying, ‘Your body is a temple…’ blah blah blah. Well, as much as I used to roll my eyes at that saying, it’s kinda true! It was only after I started running in 2015 that I realised how much my weird body is capable of and that I really should look after it. So whether your a regular exerciser or coach potato, do yourself a favour this valentines and make a promise to your body to give it some love by exercising it going forward, even if it’s just going for walks. I’m not talking about losing weight, or dieting, no no no, I’m talking about moving yourself. Your body will appreciate it, as will your mind.

I promise to compete with only myself and no one else

Compete with you and only you. From now on I want you to think of competing with someone else as cheating on yourself. So whoever it is that has your full attention at the moment, whoever it is you are constantly comparing yourself with and trying to compete with, stop it. Stop it now! Stop competing with them and turn your attention to yourself. People who compete with others become bitter. People who compete with themselves become better!

I promise to embrace time alone 

If your used to being around people all the time – your family, friends, colleagues, your partner – being alone can seem scary. I’ve struggled a lot with loneliness in the past, especially after the break-up from my ex. But learning to not only be alone, but to enjoy it, is seriously a blessing. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t enjoy being on my own all the time, but I do enjoy it. Whether that’s at home, or whether it’s taking myself out for a coffee or for some food, I like it. Fearing alone time is almost an insult to yourself. Yourself and you NEED to have alone time. It’s the perfect time to relax and to untangle all those thoughts that you might not be able to process properly if you are constantly around other people.

  I’m sure there will be bad days, days of self-doubt, days I will argue with myself and days I will be annoyed with myself. But that’s it, I promise I will try not to break these vows.

And you? Are you all set?

Awesome – now go treat yourself to a slice of cake.

  [do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-13]

I'M GETTING MARRIED ... to myself! For the first time in a long time I have decided to write about Love. I didn't talk about Love last year.

[tinkerbelljayne]

A Vegan Life Live Giveaway

A Vegan Life Live Giveaway

Fancy heading to Vegan Life Live this weekend? I’ve got a pair of weekender tickets to giveaway for all you vegans, veggies or even if you’re just a foodie.

This two day event takes place at Alexandra Palace (10th & 11th Feb 10am – 5pm) and showcases more than 200 vegan-friendly exhibitors who all recommended arriving on empty stomachs! From vegan döner kebabs, pizzas and pies, to vegan ice…

[tinkerbelljayne]

So, #Veganuary is over. I made it through the wilderness, bar a two day slip up when I was away in the arse-end of nowhere for an event staying at a hotel that offered zero vegan options (bar a bowl of leaves). For the remaining 28.5 days of January I managed to eat vegan. According to the vegan calculator my month of Veganuary had the following impact:

I’ve saved 33,000 gallons of water

I’ve saved 1,200 lbs of grain

I’ve saved 900 square feet of forest

I’ve saved 600 lbs of Co2

I’ve saved 30 animals

Was it easy? No.

Was it hard? Erm, No.

It was kind of somewhere in the middle.

As I mentioned in this post, going vegan for a month basically forced me to a) actually cook (something I wouldn’t always do if there was an option to microwave a meal or heat up a tin of Heinz macaroni) and b) get creative with my food. Lunches became a lot more elaborate, ditching Pret Tuna & Cheese toasties for hummus & quinoa wraps packed with more veg than I would normally eat in a week! My hangover food went from greasy McDonalds to a healthier avo-smash on toast with cherry tomatoes and lime (okay and maybe a few rounds of Maccie D hash browns). It’s forced me to spend more time meal planning, cooking, and learning about foods. And when it came to fruit and veg, I can guarantee I got my five a day.

Funnily enough, meat is the thing I have missed the least, followed by fish (I usually eat a lot of Tuna and Salmon) and dairy was by far the hardest thing for me to give up, because I pretty much used to live on milk chocolate. And only when going vegan do you realise just how much cheese you normally consume. It comes with everything, especially vegetarian dishes!

By day three of Veganuary, after having a great few days of vegan food and after watching a few different documentaries about the meat and dairy industry, I began to wonder if I could do it, if I should actually become a full time vegan. Could I?

But speaking honestly, one of the toughest parts about going Vegan was not veganism itself, but the opinions of others about me choosing to go vegan, even if only temporarily. Jokes and banter aside, some people really took offence to my choice. They couldn’t understand why I would deny myself something so basic as dairy and meat, something I’ve spent 30 years eating, drinking, digesting and fuelling my body with. And it almost angered a few people. They laughed at me, teased me, and some even got a little confrontational with me. And whilst I could kind of see why – because I once thought the same thing – I was also reading a lot of material from the other side of the argument, material that was raising confusing questions; how can we all choose to eat something that has been murdered? Surely that is the insane thing? Surely choosing to kill and eat animals as food is the crazy thing? Not denying ourselves it?

Everyday we willingly eat another creature that has had it’s life taken away from it, without any choice, and been brutally slaughtered. Many of us British go ape shit when we hear about dogs being slaughtered and eaten in China, yet over here we do exactly the same thing to cows, amongst many other animals. What is the difference? Apart from our own perception of the animal?

To say I was confused was an understatement! Because whilst I was reading all this information on the farming industry and the slaughter houses, and crying over videos of newborn cows being dragged from their mothers to become glorified milk factories, and whilst telling myself “I’m never eating meat or dairy again”…. my body was also craving foods that I knew these animals helped produce – cheese, chocolate, milk, and not forgetting a proper delicious juicy bloody steak … ooooooh steak *wipes drool from corner of mouth*

I felt completely torn! I knew I wanted to continue this lifestyle choice and help these poor animals because if we don’t, who will? But I was also very terrified of becoming one of those vegans.

Before I began Veganuary, I was terrified about being branded a vegan because of the negative connotations that go with the label. People hate that vegans force their opinions down your throat. And to be honest, I still don’t like how some vegans can be so aggressive about it, like this guy who during an interview, told Jeremy Vine that the ham sandwich on the table in front of them was the flesh of a dead pig. Technically true, but it came off as very aggressive. The vegan, Joey Carbstrong, was there to discuss how a farmer had recently received death threats after being called a murderer and rapist by vegan protesters.

When it comes to non-vegans, there is no need for a vegan to be so angry and aggressive towards someone who is merely just uneducated on the matter. Until I sat and read and watched information on veganism, I honestly had no idea just how bad animal cruelty was in the farming world, nor did I have any idea how bad it was for the environment. And even if people are educated on the matter, by asking someone to go vegan, you are asking them to completely change a lifestyle and diet they have endured their whole life, it’s a BIG change. Shouting at them “Your lunch is murder” in an aggressive tone isn’t going to make them stop eating meat.

So what am I trying to say? What exactly is my point? (because I’m not sure I’m getting to it, or maybe I’m just avoiding spitting it out).

Well *takes a deep breath* despite my love for milk chocolate, my cravings for cheesy pizza and my greedy need for tuna and salmon in my life, I have decided I am going to try and continue the vegan lifestyle.

*waits for abuse to be hurled at her*

But that in no way means I am joining a cult, or will be forcing others to do the same. That in no way means I will never ever ever have meat or dairy pass my lips again (it’s prob gonna happen). It in no way means I’m taking some sort of pledge, or vow, or signing some legal document to say “Hello world, I am now vegan. Do not feed me meat or dairy”.

This is simply a lifestyle choice I have decided to try out; one I think will not only benefit the environment, and hopefully the lives of many animals, but that will benefit me – I have lost weight over the past few weeks, I have been sleeping better, waking up earlier, I feel healthier, happier and I have more energy than ever before.

Yes, of course it will be hard to do this full time, I already miss so much of my carnivore lifestyle, like burgers and cheese, my nighttime ovaltine, and Malteaser bunnuies *cries* and I’m sure there will be slip ups, but I won’t let anyone make me feel guilty about them. It’s simply a lifestyle choice I have decided to make, and there is no need for anyone to be offended, nor is there any reason for me to be offended by any of my friends, family, or even strangers who continue to eat meat and dairy infront of me, just as they have done every day of their lives beforehand – that is their lifestyle choice.

I pondered so much about how I would label myself as of the 1st of Feb. Vegan? Part-time vegan? Newbie vegan? Non-committed vegan?

But y’know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m trying veganism, that makes me a vegan. I don’t need to justify my diet, my slip-ups or my reasons behind it.

So, that’s that!

[do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-13]

I’m becoming a vegan, not joining a cult So, #Veganuary is over. I made it through the wilderness, bar a two day slip up when I was away in the arse-end of nowhere for an event staying at a hotel that offered zero vegan options (bar a bowl of leaves).

[tinkerbelljayne]

The best (and absolute worst) meals of #Veganuary so far

So, one week into Veganuary and I’m about to type out a sentence I never thought would make it off my keyboard let alone out of my mouth: I like being vegan.

Don’t get me wrong, I miss bacon like I miss new episodes of GIRLS, I’ve had random cravings for egg and soldiers, not to mention actual tears have come to my eyes at the prospect of not being able to eat a cadburys creeme egg ever…

[tinkerbelljayne]

Merry Veganuary and Happy New Rear??

January.

It’s the month millions of gym memberships are born (and later abandoned), it’s the month many of us vow to go dry for 31 days, and it’s the month we all make promises to change our lives for the better.

Well, in my usual dramatic fashion, I’ve taken it one step further this year.

I’m already mocking myself for the horrifically hipster sentence I’m about to type, and you’ve probably…

[tinkerbelljayne]

My 2017 Jigsaw: Mental Health & Marathons

“I realised I was far more determined than I ever thought possible.”

As if I’d let 2017 slip by without writing something about this rollercoaster of a year. I mean, I know I’ve been really really crap at blogging recently, and that’s all about to change (don’t roll your eyes at me, I’m serious, I’ll get better) but I couldn’t end the year without writing a big ol’ sappy self-indulgent…

[tinkerbelljayne]

Travel Update: WTM 2017, future travel plans + winning my first ever Travel Blog Award

Travel Update: WTM 2017, future travel plans + winning my first ever Travel Blog Award

I’m sat writing this post on a bed covered with travel catalogues, city maps and activity agendas for destinations around the world. I’ve got one leg spread across Tokyo and a bum cheek in Barcelona.

I have literally just returned home from a hectic – but totally inspiring – 90 minute visit to the 2017 World Travel Market at the London Excel, and I felt the urge to open my laptop and write…

[tinkerbelljayne]

I absolutely loved this race so I’m gonna get the big fat negative out the way with – the toilet situation at the start line was absolutley ridiculous.

*Leans back, sips tea, crosses legs and prepares to have one hell of a rant*

There are four waves, each wave a different colour and I was purple, the last wave (ie. the slowest group). Us purples had quite the walk to the start line. There was not only a 10 minute walk to our, let’s call it, our ‘pen’, but a further 10 minute walk from the pen to the start line (although I didn’t know this at the time). This was to give the other three waves a chance to set off before us slow coaches reached the start line for our scheduled start time of 9.30am.

As all the runners from all the waves queued for the toilets in the baggage drop-off area, a lady on a speaker began telling us not to queue for these toilets but to head to our designated pens, where there are “80-100 more toilets available”.

80 more toilets? What am I wasting my time here for? So, desperately needing a piss – which seemed to be the theme of the weekend so far as all I’d done since I arrived in Ireland is need a a bloody wee due to consuming so much water – I toddled off to the purple area.

But when I got there, I was absolutely devastated to see that there were not 100 toilets, more like 10! And the crowd of hundreds of people standing around in front of me wasn’t actually a crowd of people, it was a toilet queue, one big enough to resemble the opening of a new ride at Alton Towers!

It was too late to go back to the other toilets. I had no choice but to wait.

50 minutes queuing for the loo (yes 50 minutes!) meant I was one of the last 15 people to cross the start line out of 16,000. As the clock ticked closer to 9.30am, many of my fellow runners gave up queuing and headed to the start line. But those of us absolutley determined to go to to the toilet (aka those of us with weak bladders who were about to piss our pants at any moment) kept queuing and waiting for a portaloo to become available. As more and more people nervously darted for the start line grumbling ‘sod this’, the quieter and quieter my now not-so-atmospheric purple pen became. But there was no way I was starting my marathon with a bladder full of pee.

By the time I exited a stinky loo, having pissed like a race horse, there was hardly anyone around, not even the girl I’d befriended in the queue who I thought would wait for me because we bonded over snacks.

As I began my run at a rather late 9:44am, there were no crowds cheering me on, no big cardboard signs, no DJ throwing out tunes; it was like a scene from a zombie move. Almost everyone had vanished, there were abandoned jackets everywhere and half empty water bottles rolling in the wind like tumbleweeds. Unlike the cheering crowds at the Paris marathon six months earlier, there were just a few passers-by giving me a little slow clap as I began mile one of 26.2.

Whilst having the empty space to run at a good pace was a big bonus (at Paris my first mile was incredibly slow due to actual human traffic) it felt eerily quiet. And I didn’t like the fact that if I didn’t catch up with my fellow runners that I could potentially be the one of the last to cross the finish line. I wanted to be alongside them, I wanted the race atmosphere, I needed it. This need must have lead me to subconsciously pick up my pace and after no more than a few minutes, I was reaching my fellow purple runners who had all started before me.

(I actually had no idea that despite being one of the last 15 runners to start, throughout my 26.2 miles I would overtake nearly 4000 runners as I finished in 12,107th place out of nearly 16000 participants *pats herself on the back*)

In no time at all I was comfortably snuggled into the Dublin Marathon atmosphere and surrounded by other runners. Phew!

Despite running at a quicker pace than usual at the start, I didn’t feel too tired or like I had peaked too soon, I felt just right. The weather was lovely – bright and sunny and a cool 14 degrees. With the sun shining and with the lovely Irish runners all being in such high spirits (so much chanting and constant encouragement for each other) it was impossible not to absolutely love this run. I had a full on runners high at mile seven as I ran under the blue sky, passing a beautiful lake, gorgeous sky high trees, one of my favourite Chemical Brothers tracks beating in my ears; my feet simply pounding the pavements to the rhythm. I felt blissfully happy and unusually energised.

During my training the second time around I’d found it much harder to reach the autopilot stage. For me it’s usually around mile four or five and only continues upto to mile eight or nine. When it switches off, you have to really push yourself. But this time I managed to run on auto-pilot from around mile three until mile 10, where three of my friends where waiting, with banners!

I was chuffed to see them, although not so chuffed when I realised they were stood waiting at the top of a hill and I knew there was no way I could walk it, not when I had supporters waiting in the cold. To be honest I was was so excited to see them that I sprinted to the top (the only hill I managed to sprint). Pretty much as soon as I got to them I was offloading things I didn’t need anymore; it was goodbye jacket, goodbye scarf and I also decided to abandon some peanut m&m’s that my tastebuds were just not hankering for.

My friends asked how I was feeling and I remember saying “okay actually, I don’t feel too tired and I haven’t taken an energy gel yet”. I took a quick pic of them and then was off on my way again, promising to meet them at the finish line. But no sooner had that sentence come out my mouth and I was faced with some serious hills. Runners who do trail runs or who are used to hilly courses might not have found them that bad, but I rarely run hills. So this was hard for me. There is one in my local park and I hate it – it kills me every time. Fortunately these hills didn’t actually kill me, what got me through them was knowing that what goes up, must come down and I managed to do every single hill at a steady pace.

Shortly after mile 13 when I hit the half way point, I had that knot in my stomach when I realised I’d have to do what I just did all over again. And yet still I didn’t feel the need for an energy gel. I did notice that the food I was struggling to digest a few hours ago had well and truly been digested and I felt a little hungry, so I avoided the gels packed in my bumbag and took out some skittles instead. These honestly really help me. It’s a sweet sugary little fix that gives me a lovely boost of energy even if it is only short.

Still feeling fairly okay (obviously very tired but nowhere near stopping point) and having consumed my skittles, I decided to look at my Fitbit for the first time, which was timing me. As I peered down at my wrist I was quite surprised. According to my watch I was actually doing okay for time, much better than I’d anticipated. Although my previous record was 04:47:17, I was aiming this time round for 05:30:00 (due to my lack of training and being ill). I realised that if the race continued to go as well as it had done so far, then I could actually be on for a PB, to do that I needed to cross the finish line in 04:47:16 or under. And just over half way I was on a time of 02:16:22.

But I also knew that just like during my 19 mile practice run a few weeks ago, I could crash and burn at any point, that I might have to stop all together, that if the pain that came during my 19 miler returned to my legs or my hips, that it could even be game over.

But I could try, couldn’t I?

  During Paris, the organisers gave out pieces of banana and orange. The orange was a game-changer, it’s incredible what a slice of it can do when your running. It’s so refreshing and revitalising. Unfortunately the Dublin Marathon doesn’t give out any kind of food or snacks, only water and Lucozade. But thankfully the people of Dublin do! Stood outside their houses, they hold out boxes of Haribo sweets, skittles, Jaffa cakes, bananas – AND ORANGES! You have no idea how much I wanted to cry when a little girl at mile 15 was stood, looking so adorable and angelic in a pretty dress, with a huge tub of orange slices. I ran up to her and called her my angel, grabbing two slices, lobbing them into my mouth one at a time like mouth guards, and sucked the life out of them. Across the next six miles I was able to suck on five more pieces of orange, each stranger feeding me not only pieces of orange but words of encouragement “go on girl, your doing so well, your incredible”.

I honestly cannot express how wonderful the crowds and supporters were, from cheering us all on and telling us how well we are doing, to handing out refreshments just because they wanted to help, to holding up some of the most brilliant signs I’ve ever seen (including a chap at mile 24 holding up a sign saying ‘My arms are killing me.’) I must have high fived about 20 people and I hit 4 different ‘touch here to power up’ signs – they actually work!

For some reason the whole of my run up until mile 19 felt like it had gone very quick. Obviously not quick quick, but it hadn’t dragged. But mile 19 was the point I got to when I really started to struggle. I’d needed a wee at around mile 18 and so had popped to the loo, and as I had began running again I realised how absolutely knackered my body felt. I’d already had plenty of water, plenty of Lucozade, and I couldn’t face anymore skittles. As I felt myself slowing down and my chances of a PB slipping from me, I pulled out an energy gel.

I went with Clif energy gels this time after being a little disappointed with Stealth in Paris. And despite not initially liking the citrus flavour on my training runs, I just could not face the sickly overpowering taste of the chocolate or the espresso ones, so I actually chose my least favourite and went for the citrus. At the next water stop I grabbed a bottle to help down the thick liquid, only I couldn’t open the dam thing. The tab you pull to open the wrapper was somehow pulled off by my sweaty hand and I had to use my teeth. This was difficult to say the least. The label on the back was transferring to my hand and face like a cheap tattoo transfer due to beig so sweaty and I had to keep wiping it off. But eventually I managed to pierce a small whole in the sachet and squeeze some into my mouth. The whole was so small and so painfully difficult to get gel out of though – and I was on a pretty tight schedule – I probably only consumed about half of it before I tossed it away.

But half was enough.

Somewhere in between mile 22 and 23 the gel, along with one last cup of Lucozade, had well and truly kicked in! Despite feeling super tired and in pain, I started speeding up and overtaking runners, dodging in and out of them like I was in a TV car chase. Throughout most of my race I had been running behind the 5 hour pace makers who all had giant red balloons tied to them, floating above so us runners could see them. Those b***** balloons. I felt like I’d been chasing them for most of my run, I nearly overtook them at mile 18 but needed the loo. But at mile 23 I finally ran past them. Knowing I had started the run about 10 minutes after them and that I was now overtaking them, I knew I must be soooo close to getting a PB.

But my burst of energy didn’t quite last the rest of the race. I can’t even begin to describe how painful that last mile was!

My feet were hurting, me legs were hurting, I could feel myself losing my breath. I had no idea how I was even running anymore, let alone how I was going to finish the last mile. You’d think mile 26 would be the easiest bit- it’s nearly over, It’s easy, right?

Nope. It’s horrifyingly painful and it feels like the longest mile of your life. Everytime I turned a corner and I didn’t see the finish line I wanted to cry. I was so close to stopping, but I just told myself ‘it will be over soon.’ I finally saw a sign saying ‘2k to go’. 2k – thats nothing. And yet it dragged soooooo much. The crowds got bigger and bigger, “your nearly there” they shouted, yet there wasn’t a finish line in sight. This was the worst 2k of my entire life – I had no energy left, I was in pain, I so badly wanted to just stop and walk it. But deep down I knew there was no way I was walking across that finish line. I’m so stubborn. At one point I thought I could feel one of my toe nails coming off, but I still kept on running.

As me and my surrounding runners turned one final corner, sure enough the finish line came in sight. I wanted to cry. It still looked so far away. But I just continued to tell myself “it will be over soon, it will be over soon, it will be over soon.” I quickly glanced at my Fitbit and could see I was on around 04:45. I couldn’t let it get to 04:47. I couldn’t. It was time to speed up.

It took every ounce of strength to move my body faster, and I still don’t know how I did it, but somehow I started sprinting towards that finish line. My body ached, especially my feet, my breathing was chaotic, at one point I felt like I actually couldn’t breathe. I had tears in my eyes as I realised I was literally steps away. And suddenly I was crossing it, suddenly I was on the other side of the line. It was over.

Did I really just do that? How did I do that? was all I could think. I actually felt faint and tried to lean on a railing before being ushered away by staff. Everything felt like a dream. In fact I felt like I was in shock. I limped towards man who placed a medal around my neck and congratulated me. I wanted to cry but I felt like I had no energy. I stumbled further along where I was given a T-shirt, I should have grabbed a medium, but in my haze, I just took a small from the women handing them out. I was given a plastic bag and inside I saw a bottle of water and Lucozade and quickly grabbed them both and began to down them.

Then I felt my phone vibrate. It was my Dublin Marathon app. My hands shaking, I swiped my phone open and saw the alert telling me I had completed the marathon…

…in 04:46:32.

I had a new PB.

I literally burst into tears!

I had doubted myself so much. I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to do it in less than five hours, let alone achieve a PB. I’d only shaved off around a minute, but just weeks earlier I thought I was going to have to pull out all together, so the fact I not only ran it, finished it, and got an even better time, was incredible. I felt so unbelievably proud of myself.

It turns out a) muscle memory is a real thing and god bless my chunky legs for basically being amazing and remembering how to carry me all that way without giving up and b) I have some serious determination in me, like serious serious serious determination – something I am very proud of. My training may not have gone exactly the way it had, but I didn’t let myself down and I worked hard in that last month to really look after my body. And it worked. It really did.

And yes, I’m already planning my next one. In fact I’ve got three more in the pipe line, so watch this space!

  [do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-13]

Running the 2017 Dublin Marathon I absolutely loved this race so I’m gonna get the big fat negative out the way with - the toilet situation at the start line was absolutley ridiculous.

[tinkerbelljayne]

Be part of my Live Dublin Marathon Experience

Be part of my Live Dublin Marathon Experience

It’s happening!

It’s finally here.

*Gulp*

This weekend I head to Dublin to run my second marathon and I want you to enjoy the experience with me.

As you may already know from my Instagramposts, training for marathon no.2 has not gone as well as training for marathon no.1. There are multiple reasons excuses for my lack of training – a hectic work load, bad planning, the flue (one too many nights…

[tinkerbelljayne]

This recipe comes fresh from one of my spontaneous ‘F*@$ it! Chuck in whatever I have in the kitchen’ moments. I’ll be honest, the outcome of these moments aren’t always 100% edible (blueberries and instant coffee – what was I thinking?) But not this time. This time I somehow managed to create a delicious concoction with a flavour and texture that reminded me of a sweet scoop of Ben & Jerry’s cookie-dough ice cream *droooooool*

Prepping for a long distance run, I wanted something quick but energising. I was initially going to scoff a banana, but knew I’d be running for up to four hours so needed more. I knew ingredients like porridge oats would provide good, long-lasting energy. So I quickly raided my kitchen, grabbing whatever ingredients I deemed either healthy, energising, tasty, and erm, in date! I took my first sip with apprehension, expecting my energy boosting smoothie to taste like yuck. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was delicious. The full recipe is below complete technical terms like ‘blob’ and ‘scoop’.

One scoop of oats

One scoop of Multipower Coffee Caramel Whey Protein Powder

One Banana

A blob of peanut butter

One handful of spinach leaves

One tablespoon of sweetener (or honey if you prefer acmore natural sweetener

3/4 pint of Soya milk

Two tablespoons of Chia seeds

Whack everything in a blender and blend for 90 seconds and your done – simples!

A little tip, you can turn this into a dessert. Make in the morning, empty into little bowls or glasses and leave in the fridge for about six hours. Voila – your Nigella Lawson.

[do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-13]

The Energy Smoothie (that taste like cookie dough ice cream) This recipe comes fresh from one of my spontaneous 'F*@$ it! Chuck in whatever I have in the kitchen'

[tinkerbelljayne]

As much as I rave about my first marathon being one of the best days of my life, (the triple whammy of it being my first marathon, in the city of Paris, on my 31st birthday … just incase I hadn’t already mentioned that a million and one times) unfortunately the day before my marathon was one of the most stressful and exhausting days, like, ever! All because I didn’t plan … come on, say it with me: fail to plan and you plan to fail *shakes head*

If you’re planning to run a marathon, especially abroad, there are two very important things you should know. The first – you cannot run in the race without your race bib. This is your race ticket, your race identification, your race tracker, it’s as important as the runners you wear on your feet and no it is NOT sent to you in the post – if only it were that easy. Your race number must be collected in person, at the Race Expo, which usually takes places in the days leading upto to the marathon.

The second thing you should know is, the day before a big race, especially one as big as a marathon, is supposed to be a day of rest. I’m not saying it’s necessarily lie horizontally for 12 hours and be a couch potato all day kinda day, but it’s certainly a day to avoid long runs, long walks, strenuous exercise and any kind of stress.

And yet what was I doing the day before my marathon? I was running around the city of Paris like a mad women, completely lacking power on just two hours sleep and an empty stomach, dragging my poor Mum and my packed-to-the-brim suitcase in tow, feeling stressed to the absolute max. We’d flown at 7am, which meant getting up at 3am. We had problems with baggage, we stood in hour long transport queues, we couldn’t find the expo, we took the wrong trains, we got lost, then lost again, and again, we argued, I cried. It was horrific, NOT the kind of day you want right before you take on the toughest physical challenge of your life, (and mental come to think of it).

But at the end of the (slightly traumatic) day, I had to laugh. It was only right that my last day as a 30 year old be as catastrophic and as disastrous as the year 30 itself had been for me. But every cloud has a silver lining – my calamity meant I could write this blog post and hopefully save a few fellow runners from making the same mistakes. So, here are my top four travel tips to take on board when doing a marathon abroad:

Arrive 48 hours before your race

Planning to arrive the day before your marathon is it a bit risky. What if your flight is delayed, or worse, cancelled? Travel complications will only cause you a lot of stress and hassle, something you really don’t need when you should be resting in preparation for the big run. You also run the risk of limiting your time at the Expo or potentially missing the opportunity to collect your bib. And remember – no bib, no run.

I’d also advise against booking any super early flights the day before the marathon too, yeah they may be cheaper, and yeah 6am might not seem that bad, BUT it will when you have to check-in at 4am and therefore leave your house at 3am, meaning getting up at 2am. Remember, your body NEEDS sleep before your big race. If your marathon is on the Sunday, I suggest arriving on the Friday, even if its late in the evening.

Check-in your baggage

People rarely check-in baggage these days because why pay extra when we can squeeze everything into one piece of hand luagge for free? But, with hand luggage comes restrictions, and an important one to consider is the liquid restrictions. Your carry-on bag can only contain one small clear plastic bag of liquids, they won’t allow you two and when I say small they are small (I have my own clear plastic bag, slightly larger than the airport ones, that I purchased from Boots years ago; the past four times I’ve travelled with it, I’ve been made to empty it out and squeeze all my liquids into a CAA approved bag *rolls eyes*)

Each liquid item can only be up to 100ml. So let’s take into consideration all your usual liquids – deodorant, shower gel, toothpaste, etc – but what about running gels? Energy shots? How many are you taking? Vaseline, are you taking that? What size? Maybe you have other creams you need, such as foot cream or a particular drink. This was a problem I ran into last time. I was trying to squeeze all my running gels, all my toiletries and all my makeup into one teeny tiny plastic bag – oh lord the stress! I’d also planned to take peanut butter with me to eat the morning of the race, but had to leave it at home.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking, these are all things I could just purchase in Paris – well maybe not the gels – but I didn’t want to a) waste time shuffling along a supermarket aisle trying to figure out what Peanut butter is in French (which in the end I had to send my Bro-in-law off to do and he failed) and b) I didn’t want to waste the money buying products I would inevitably have to leave in Paris because I wouldn’t be able to transport them back in my hand luggage. This time, for Marathon number two, I’ve paid the £15 to check-in my bag so that I can take all the liquids I need.

Wear your running gear to the airport

I get you may not want to wear your brand new running outfit to the airport, one that you’ve saved especially for the big day and plan to reveal on Instagram, but please at least wear your trainers to the airport and maybe a (back-up) running outfit. If something happens to your luggage (because even hand luggage can be stowed away last minute and lost) and you’ve packed everything in there – trainers, running socks, sports bra, the works – chances are you won’t be running in that marathon you’ve just spent months training for. Yes, worst case scenario you could purchase a new pair of trainers when you land, but we all know the marathon rule – nothing new on race day, especially footwear! You’ll only end up hurting yourself.

Please, for the love of God, buy travel insurance.

This one doesn’t need explaining. Don’t be an idiot. Even if it’s just for peace of mind, book yourself travel insurance. You think the worst thing that could happen would be injuring yourself during the marathon. Nope, the worst thing would be injuring yourself and ending up with a hefty hospital bill.

And there you have my top tips when planning a marathon abroad. Everyone is different and people may disagree, but from my own experience, these are the tips I would absolutely swear by. I never want a day like the one I had in Paris, ever again. Next weekend I fly to Dublin for my second marathon and I’ll be flying on the Friday to head straight to the expo, I’ll be checking in baggage, wearing my gear to the airport and I’ve already got my insurance covered. YAS! Bring it on Ireland.

Are you planning to run a marathon abroad? Or do you have any travel tips for marathons? I’d love to know in the comments below.

[do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-13]

PIN THIS STORY?

  Travel Tips for Runnning a Marathon Abroad As much as I rave about my first marathon being one of the best days of my life, (the triple whammy of it being my first marathon, in the city of Paris, on my 31st birthday ...

[tinkerbelljayne]

Sweet Berry Smorridge

When it comes to breakfast, I’ll choose the sweet option every time – unless I’m absolutely hanging out my arse in which case hit me up with the greasiest full english you’ve got – but recently, I’ve definitely been overdoing it on the sweet stuff.

I’ve gotten into a really bad habit of swinging into Pret or Starbucks on my way to work to gore on jam filled muffins covered in icing or giant…

[tinkerbelljayne]

After finding out that I had failed to be selected for the 2017 Virgin London Marathon – I currently have all my fingers, toes & laces crossed for the 2018 ballot – I straight away signed up to run the Paris Marathon instead. I was determined to run my first ever marathon in the year 2017.

Training for this event became more than a hobby, it became a passion, in fact it literally became my full time job … mostly because I was unemployed and broke, but let’s not lose focus- training for my first Marathon became an obsession.

As for finally doing it, finally running the 26.2 miles through the warm city of Paris, well, I can’t even begin to describe what that was like. There is no adjective that describes feeling fear/excitement/pain/joy/hate/euphoria all in one go.

So instead, I’ve shared 101 thoughts I had running my first marathon. Most of these were jotted down in my phone within days of completing my first marathon. Other resurfaced over time. From arriving at the start line to crossing that finish line, these are genuine thoughts that ran through my hyped up brain as I ran my first ever 26.2 mile race.

1. What an atmosphere, it’s electric. 2. Am I really about to run for five whole hours? 3. Hmmm, do I need the toilet? No. 4. Oh look, a man dressed as a shark. That’s gonna get really annoying for him. 5. Yes! I can see the start line and I’m so ready to for this, I feel pumped. LET’S DO THIS. 6. ….Okay this is more like shuffling onto the central line at 8am on a Monday morning. Come on people, move! 7. Right, 04:45:00, you can do it in that time. 8. Can I, though? 9. YES YOU CAN. 10. Must remember to pace myself. Pace Hannah, pace. 11. Oh look there’s my family. Wave. Wave. Pose for the pictures. 12. Oh look how proud they look and I haven’t even ran anywhere yet. 13. Awwww, look at the kids- No, don’t look at the kids, no tears till the end. 14. Hmmm, I wonder what my family will eat for breakfast? No! Don’t think about food. 15. Wow, 26 miles. 16. Twenty. Six. Miles. 17. Why did I decide to do this again? 18. Do I need a wee? 19. Maybe. 20. Twenty six bloody miles. 21. It’s mighty warm out here for 10am. 22. Oooh look shade, I’m gonna run in the shade. 23. Let’s try and takeover this big pack of burly men who are chanting stuff and wearing matching t-shirts, they look like Brit’s abroad on a stag do. Pfft. Must avoid them. 24. Wait, what are they pushing? 25. They’re pushing someone in a wheelchair. Okay, I’m the worst person ever. They are amazing. 26. Why do my legs feel tired already? 27. I didn’t sleep enough last night. Stupid Instagram. 28. Crap, my knickers are right up my arse, I should have gone commando. 29. Look at those gorgeous buildings, so beautiful. 30. I’m tired. 31. Uh-oh my shade is disappearing. 32. Yay. Water stop. Water water water. 33. Why are they giving out orange pieces?? Ain’t nobody got time to eat an orange. 34. I hope I put enough Vaseline on my nipples. 35. Am I being paranoid or are loads of people over taking me? 36. Maybe, I should try and speed up. 37. No, don’t speed up. Pace, Hannah, pace. 38. Can you feel it, can you feel it, can you feel it, do do doo doo, do do doo doo 39. I feel exhausted already. Maybe I should have a gel. 40. No, it’s too soon, I can hold off. You can do it Hannah. 41. Screw it, I’m having a gel. 42. Do I need a wee? 43. No. 44. Am I sure? 45. No 46. Toilets are coming up. Maybe I should just go. 47. No. It’s wasting time. 48. Goodbye toilets. 49. This park is really pretty. 50. Crap, I need the toilet. 51. Look at all those men in the bushes, pee’ing, standing up. Show offs. 52. Why is it so hot? I trained in rain and wind. 53. More toilets, yay. 54. F*** they’re padlocked shut. 55. I feel like I’ve been running forever and I’m not even half way. 56. I’m sweating in places I didn’t realise I could sweat. 57. Why did I ever think pieces of orange was a bad idea? Sucking on a cold, tangy, juicy fruit is all I can think about right now. 58. Look at that sky, what a gorgeous day to run through Paris though, I’m so lucky. 59. I’m doing so well, I should be really proud of myself. 60. F*** this, I’m going for a wee in the bushes, I’m officially exiting stage right. 61. I’m so sweaty I can’t get my pants down properly. Roll leggings, roll. 62. Oh no. Stage fright. No-ones looking, no-ones looking, no-ones looking, no-ones looking. 63. Oh sweet Jesus, I never thought wee’ing could feel so good. 64. Wow, I feel like a new person. I feel amazing! 65. I’m going to pick up the pace. I got this. 66. Thank you Parisian strangers for cheering me on and making me feel like a Team GB Athlete. 67. This is the best day of my life. Woohoo. 68. …and your gonna hear me roar, woah-oh-oh-oh-oooh. 69. Bet Katy Perry couldn’t run a marathon. 70. Orange stop. YASSS! GIVE ME ALL THE ORANGES! 71. Ouch my legs are starting to really hurt. 72. Groce. Sticky gel all over my fingers. 73. Why is my nose running so much? 74. Do I need a poo? No. 75. Should I stop? I feel like I need to stop. No. 76. Oh there’s my Family. Wave. High five them. 77. Yes, throw water on me random volunteer lady. 78. I FEEL INCREDIBLE. I FEEL BOOSTED. I got this. 79. Oh look the Eiffel Tower. But no, no time for photos. 80. Oh God, snot everywhere. Just wipe it on my leggings. 81. Pain. Pain. Pain. 82. I want to cry. I can’t go on. I can’t do this. I can’t. Make it stop. 83. Why do I suddenly feel bloated? I’ve overdosed on the gels, haven’t I? 84. WTF!? Shark man just sprinted past me. How? HE’S IN A GIANT FISH COSTUME?? 85. Am I even running anymore? 86. WHY DID I DO THIS? WHY GOD WHY?? 87. I’m never doing this again. Never. Ever. Ever. Ever. Ever. 88. I want to lie down. I want to be in bed. I want to be anywhere but here. 89. Just keep running. Just keep running. Just keep running. Just keep running. 90. God I can’t wait for an ice cold beer. 91. Oh My God. I can see the finish line, this is it. This is actually it. 92. Breathe, breathe, keep breathing. In, out, in, out, in, out. 93. Don’t stop believing, just hold onto that feeling… 94. COME ON LEGS, LET’S SPRINT! 95. I’m doing it. I’m doing it. I don;t know how, but I’m doing it. I’m doing it. I don’t care if I’m crying. 96. I’ve done it. I can stop. I can breathe. I can collapse. I can brag. 97. Fitbit says 04:47:18 98. Would have been 04:45:00 if you hadn’t had to wee in the bushes, stupid bladder, but sod it, I don’t even care. 99. I did it. I did it. I actually did it. I’m a marathon finisher. 100. I’M A GODDAM MOTHER FLIPPIN’ SUPER HERO! 101. This is officially the proudest moment of my life. Well done girl.

My first marathon was celebrated with family, friends, burgers and beers in the heart of Paris and was one of he best days of my adult life. Especially as it was my 31st birthday too. As the exhaustion subsided and the muscle pain began to kick in, thoughts of other marathons began to creep into mind. Yes, I wanted more.

You see, although I’ve typed up that I was tired and exhausted – and I know I felt that – I cannot actually remember what it felt like to be that exhausted and I haven’t endured that kind of exhaustion since, that feeling of not being able to go on, completely mixed with knowing I’m unable to give up. It’s almost like the memory of that feeling is completely blocked out by the pure joy and euphoria I felt at the finish line. I imagine this is why myself and so many other marathon runners end up asking ourselves “Which one next?” mere hours after telling ourselves I’m never doing this again. Ever.

And so next month, I run my second marathon, the 2017 Dublin marathon. I booked it within a week of completing Paris. Meaning that this year will not only be the year I ran my first ever marathon, which was a huge goal of mine, but it will be the year I ran two!

Well, heres hoping!

Would you ever run a marathon?

Follow all my Marathon Training updates on Instagram – click here to follow me.

[do_widget id=alder_social_widget-2] [do_widget id=blog_subscription-12]

101 thoughts I had during my first Marathon After finding out that I had failed to be selected for the 2017 Virgin London Marathon – I currently have all my fingers, toes & laces crossed for the 2018 ballot - I straight away signed up to run the Paris Marathon instead.